Sacrifice
by laloga
Summary: What happens when nothing goes to plan and everything is more complicated than it seems? Doubts and decisions come to light as Cad Bane is hired to kidnap a certain Jedi; another Jedi and her clone commander go to rescue him. Obi/OC.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: This story takes place about three months after _Duty and Destiny _and references events that occurred in several of my previous stories: _Old Wounds _and _Awakening, _to be specific; I highly recommend checking them out!_ _Also, I was hesitant to write Cad Bane, as I was not as familiar with him as I am with other characters, but he turned out to be an interesting guy to have around; hopefully I did him justice. I own Kali and Stonewall...Mr. Lucas owns everyone else, the lucky bastard. Please enjoy; again, feedback is most welcome. _

_Infinite thanks to SerendipityAEY for your continued feedback and encouragement! _

**Sacrifice**

_Prologue:_

After the mission to Bespin, after Stonewall had been made a Commander and Kalinda Halcyon granted the role of Jedi Master, after the assassin Asajj Ventress had finally been captured, there had been a celebration.

Naturally.

It was tradition, he'd been told, for a newly-appointed Jedi Master to spend a day meditating on their new responsibilities, but everyone had been so edgy from the mission so an impromptu gathering had been arranged instead at one of the local watering holes a few minutes from the Jedi Temple. Stonewall, Kalinda, Commander Cody, and General Kenobi, along with several other clone officers and Jedi that he didn't recall had attended and the air was convivial; though the bar was not small, it was filled with chatter and the sound of clinking glasses as the patrons blew off steam.

He remembered sitting at a table with Cody, who had promised to get him very, very drunk-another tradition he had been unaware of-while they reminisced about past missions when someone, one of the Jedi, he thought, though his memories were fuzzy, had turned the jukebox to a familiar song. Kali had been sitting across from him, sipping a glass of pale Corellian wine and listening as an unusually animated Cody and General Kenobi described a particularly eventful mission when the first notes of the music sounded. Pausing mid-story, the general smiled before slipping out of his seat to stand before her, his hand extended.

"Remember this one?"

She looked up at him, a smile on her face. "Is that your way of asking me to dance?"

The other Jedi took her hand and guided her to the floor where they began to dance, her pale tunic swaying with the motion of her hips. Her unbound hair floated behind her, weightless, when he spun her around during a swell of the music. Stonewall watched them move together; it was clear that they had done this many, many times as their movements were well-coordinated and graceful despite the copious amount of spirits each of them had consumed.

"This stuff never seems to affect them," Cody said with a sigh as he glanced down at his whiskey. "Jedi." He looked at Stone. "You think it's the Force that does it?"

Stonewall shrugged. Though his own latent Force abilities had recently come to light, he wasn't ready to admit it to his brothers. He felt different enough as it was. "Maybe." Kalinda was laughing at something General Kenobi had said while her hands rested on his shoulders. Unexpectedly, Kenobi spun her again, apparently catching her off guard because she had to grab at his hand to prevent herself from being flung across the room; rather than being annoyed she merely laughed as her fellow Jedi brought her back into his arms.

Cody sighed again. "Wish they'd given us those midi...midi things when they were splicing our genes. It'd make life a little easier, don't you think?" He waved his hand in an approximation of a Jedi using their innate power. "I've heard they can use it to influence minds," he muttered. "Change memories." The Commander belched, the sound reverberating in the clamor. "Is there anything you want to forget?"

Stone ignored him and sipped his drink, watching. A slower song had begun; General Kenobi dipped her low, her hair nearly brushing the ground which made her laugh again and nudge at his shoulder until he brought her up, his hand gripping her waist with a familiar ease when she said something to him. They moved together as the song progressed and grew in intensity, their eyes on one another. She smiled as he pulled her face to his and whispered something in her ear.

Stonewall downed the rest of his drink and glanced at Cody. "What've you been drinking? I'll get the next round."

"Toydarian," Cody replied with a shake of his head. "Though I should cut myself off."

Rising, Stone crossed to the bar and got two more whiskeys from the owner of the establishment, a thick joweled Corellian who refused his creds as he had done for all of the troops and Jedi. It was good for business, after all, to boast that yours was the place that the Generals and their officers came to wind down after a mission. He returned to Cody, who had taken to staring into his empty cup; as he approached, the other Commander glanced up at him as if surprised.

"I think I need to lie down," he said, his words slurring. "It's starting to affect me." Stone chuckled as Cody's head drooped to rest on his arm. For all of their stamina and strength, clones had a pretty low tolerance for alcohol and Cody in particular was legendary for being a lightweight when it came to celebrating. For his part, Stonewall sipped his whiskey, feeling his head begin to spin as he watched her and tried _not_ to remember.

At this he failed.

Later, when midnight had long since come and gone, when most of the other Jedi and clones had dissipated, when Cody was snoring quietly across from him, they were still dancing. It was another slow song, one that he had never heard except once before when she sang it; she was still in General Kenobi's arms, swaying gently to the melody. As Stone watched, he could almost feel the curve of her side beneath his own hands, see the way her lips parted in her sleep, hear the sound of his name rising from her mouth as they embraced; he closed his eyes at the memories that flooded his mind. When he opened them, General Kenobi's back was to him but her dark eyes were fixed onto his own, looking at him with an expression that he didn't know how to interpret; her gaze on him was a living thing that had lodged itself into the deepest parts of his spirit and would not budge.

He lifted his glass to her but she made no reply until the general said something to her and she nodded. The song ended and the Jedi returned to the table, General Kenobi looking at Cody with amusement.

"He's a lightweight, sir," Stonewall said, though his own tongue felt thick. "I'll see that he gets back to the barracks in one piece."

Kali smiled. "Poor Cody. Who let him have Toydarian whiskey? I can't go near that stuff without getting dizzy." She looked at Stonewall. "You seem to be handling it well."

"Not really," he replied as he looked up at her, emboldened by the spirits burning in his belly. "It's just an act."

"It's late; we should be getting back," General Kenobi said to her after a moment. "Congratulations again, Commander." He put his hand on the small of Kalinda's back and guided her out of the bar. As they walked away, Stonewall didn't miss the way the general's hand slid to caress her hips, nor the way she grinned up at the other Jedi. He knew that look, as he'd seen it directed at him. On Mundali.

A lifetime ago.

Stone looked at Cody and sighed before getting to his feet, nudging his brother's shoulder. "Wake up, Cody. Let's get the hell out of here."


	2. Chapter 2

_About three months later..._

Cad Bane was not in the bounty-hunting business to seek revenge. _That _particular aspect of life was a dangerous road to travel down in his line of work, as it was all too easy to be consumed with a desire-a need, some might say-to screw over those who screwed _you_ over and lose sight of the bigger picture, the reason for even playing the game. _Money._ The blue-skinned Duros tossed a stack of credits to the Weequay dealer in the Coruscanti shipyard and nodded to the merchandise he'd been eying for months, that he was at last able to afford. "My butler droid will load it on the ship," he said, his guttural voice pitched low enough to make the Weequay have to lean forward to hear him. "See that everything's in one piece-I'd hate to have to come back for a refund."

The Weequay, his scaly skin flaking with age, nodded as he double counted the creds, not bothering to give the bounty hunter a second glance once the money was in his hands. Bane shook his head slightly as he returned to his ship. "No manners at all," he muttered to Todo 360, his techno-service droid who was making some minor repairs to the sensor array. "None of these dealers know how to treat a customer anymore."

Though Bane knew that droids were emotionless, the little round-bodied droid was certainly doing an admirable job of looking pensive, stopping his work to close his delicate hands at his sides while his unblinking yellow eyes seemed to look anywhere but in the direction of his master. Finally Bane sighed. "What is it, Todo?"

"Are you alright, sir?" The droid's voice was hesitant, cautious.

Bane frowned but made no response as he ran his eyes over the ship's nav system.

Todo made a sound that mimicked a Human clearing his throat. "I only ask because you seem a little...on edge. Ever since the Jedi interrogated you, I mean. Remember?"

He did, indeed. _No hope that I could forget that little encounter, _he thought as he checked over Todo's work. The _Sleight of Hand'_s sensors had been acting up, which was a dangerous thing for a bounty hunter. Though he was careful never to completely rely on it, Bane still needed his tech to function at one hundred percent at all times; a faulty circuit here or a mislaid wire there could mean the difference between success and failure. In his line of work, failure was _not _an option.

The fact that it had taken not one, not two, but _three _Jedi-two of whom were Masters-to break into the recesses of his mind offered little comfort to the Duros as his large, red eyes studied the console of his ship. Most of the time he tried very hard not to remember that incident. Glancing at Todo, he pointed to the Weequay, who was just visible beyond the opened hatch of the ship. "Make sure the new engine jammers are installed correctly," he said. "I don't trust that earworm with the blunt end of a hydrospanner." With that he moved to step off of the ship, Todo following in his wake.

"But where are _you_ going?"

Not that he owed the droid an explanation, but Bane turned anyway, his face shadowed beneath the wide brim of his hat. "For a drink."

* * *

At first, Commander Stonewall thought that she had gone utterly insane.

"The Naeids?" he asked again while they studied the holographic projection of the planetCoraux-located in the nexus of the Expansion Region-in the late hours of the night. Or perhaps it was morning; he wasn't certain anymore. Presently they were seated in her tent in the center of the clones' makeshift camp, the glow from the projection acting as the only light.

Kalinda Halcyon sipped her favorite tea-an aromatic blend of vanilla and spices-as she nodded, pointing to the vast section of ocean that dominated the mineral-rich planet. "They're quite prominent on this world Stone; they could be powerful allies. If you can get them to help us, we will have a huge tactical advantage over the Separatists."

"If..._I _can get them to help us?"

"Yes." A smile crept to her face at his look of disbelief. "Why do you doubt yourself, my pseudo-Padawan?"

He frowned. "Because I'm just a clone, Kali, Force or not. I can't do this...that's a Jedi's job."

"You absolutely can do it, Stone," she replied. "You must, because I have to meet with the settlers, who demanded to see a Jedi Master." She frowned at her newly-appointed term. "If they pull out of their agreement with the Republic, it will be a huge blow to our resources."

Stonewall shook his head. "All our intel confirmed that no one's even spoken to these people. _Can _we talk to them? I don't think our protocol droid survived that last mission." He looked at her. "Not that I doubt your judgment, Kali...it's just...what am I going to tell the others?"

Her dark eyes regarded him over the rim of her mug. "Tell them the truth: that we're going to make contact with an exciting new species and win this planet back, Commander." Setting the cup down, she placed her hand on his armor-clad forearm. "Trust the Force, Stone," she said. "And trust yourself. I know that you can do this."

Apparently she had been correct, for he'd had little trouble convincing the ocean-dwelling Naeids, (he still had trouble wrapping his tongue around _that _name), to help them oust the Separatists who were overwhelming the smaller, land-dwelling population of settlers-originally come to the planet to farm the rich minerals that could be found in the soil. What began as a routine mission culminated in Stone and his troops riding the backs of giant, sea-thrantas that carried them easily over the towering waves that developed at the height of the monsoon season to launch a surprise attack on the droid forces that had been herded to the ocean's edge.

The clankers didn't stand a chance, not after Kalinda lead a smaller battalion of his men and the locals had led them to the shoreline, setting the droids up for what was essentially a "clean sweep," of an operation. It had been one of the most exhilarating moments of his short life, riding on the back of the sea-thranta who skimmed over the cresting waves like a bird in flight; it was worth all of the initial confusion and mistrust that the Naeids felt over him and his troops, though he had eventually managed to use the Force to some degree to communicate with the aliens, as Kalinda had instructed him. The obliging sea-thrantas dropped him, his men, and the Naeid warriors off on the shore where Kalinda and the others were already engaging the enemy. Though the local Naeids were only equipped with rudimentary weapons like spears and bows, they were masters of the sea and were able to drag many, many droids down to the depths where they were crushed by the massive pressure.

In short, it was a triumph.

Later that evening when the men were celebrating with some of the locals and their wine, he had been approached by the leader of the Naeids, a young male named Osh'en. "Thank you for your efforts, my friend," the Naeid said to him, looking down at the clone commander. Naeids were tall and slender, standing about a meter above a Human, with skin the color of sea-foam and a series of thin scales that ran across their sinewy bodies. In some ways they reminded him of Kaminoans, though their heads and necks were not nearly so long and fragile-looking, and their faces were much more elongated.

Though not entirely sure of their language, Stonewall had figured out how to get the gist of what was being said, as well as make them understand what he needed to communicate. "We did our duty," he replied with a small bow. "I'm glad that your people's homes will be safe, sir."

Osh'en nodded. He was the youngest son of the last ruler, the rest of his family had been killed in skirmishes by the Separatists and Stone didn't envy him the task of putting his world back together, a challenge he knew that none his brothers would have thought to consider. "I have heard legends of the Jedi warriors who are skilled in battle," the Naeid replied. "But only now, after watching you, do I believe it."

"No, sir," Stone said, shaking his head. "I'm no Jedi. I can just use the Force a little bit."

The prince's head cocked to one side as he regarded the clone. "Again, this 'Force.' I still do not quite understand." His elongated head turned as Kalinda approached them, her boots in her hands as it was a relatively mild night. "But this one is a Jedi, yes?"

Stone nodded as he watched her. "Yes. She certainly is." When she reached them, she gave a low bow to Osh'en. "I thank you for your help, Prince," she said, in Basic, though the Force was behind her words. "We could not have taken the droids out without your help. The leader of the land-dwellers would like to meet with you to discuss a treaty. If you would like, I will be happy to act as an intermediary." Her tone was formal, but Stone could detect a trace of weariness in her words.

Osh'en took a moment to consider before he nodded slowly. "It will be as you say, Jedi. But not until tomorrow; tonight is for our brave warriors." He bowed his head low to them before stepping off to join his people who were congregated by the ocean's edge, leaving Kalinda and Stonewall alone on the sandy beach.

Stone looked up; Coraux had no moons but a series of rings that from this hemisphere cast an unearthly glow at night, the wide bands filling up about an eighth of the open sky. The air was still, edged with a salty tang and the constant hiss and drag of the waves. He looked at Kalinda, who had moved to stand at the edge of the ocean, her boots discarded on the pale sand with her leggings rolled up past her knees. After a moment he walked to stand beside her, letting the water lap against his armor, which was still dripping wet from the day's efforts.

"I never get tired of watching it," she said after a moment. "The sea," she explained to his perplexed look. "It is a constant wherever it is found; in the earliest days, before we had starships and hyperdrives, we had only the sea to explore, to carry us to new lands." She inhaled deeply.

Stonewall frowned. "On Kamino, the ocean is a force to be reckoned with; it's not peaceful or pretty like this one. It's wild and dangerous." _Like you, _he almost said, though he held his tongue, thankful that he was growing more adept at hiding his thoughts and emotions from her.

She nodded almost absently, then pointed to a spot about thirty meters off shore where he could make out several nebulous, glowing shapes moving beneath the surface of the waves. "Look at that! Some kind of phosphorescent life-forms..." Her words trailed off as she watched them for a moment before turning to him. "I'm going to check it out. Want to come?"

"Do you think they're dangerous?"

"No," she said, shedding her outer tunic and tossing it alongside her boots. "I think they're interesting." He declined, instead watching as she waded further into the water, pausing only to let an incoming wave break at her waist before she slipped beneath the surface; Stone tracked her progress, feeling the Force propelling her along until he was certain that the creatures were not a threat. At that point he turned and headed towards the main cluster of his men, who were gathered around a roaring bonfire enjoying the local spirits and using what was left of the clankers as makeshift seats. At his approach they quieted and sat up straight, watching his every move as he reached for a mug of the local wine. Stonewall looked at his recently-promoted Captain, a very capable clone named Boxer. "Not bad," he said as he sampled the drink. "A bit strong though."

Boxer nodded. "We won't indulge, sir." He glanced at the others, who began setting their cups down until Stone shook his head.

"You've earned a break, lads," he said as he took another sip. "Just try not to overdo it." At his words, the others grinned and reached for the cups again.

One of the newer boys-Milo-lifted his mug. "To victory!" The others chimed in, clinking their cups together before drinking deeply. Stone sat with them for a few minutes, watching, listening, and considering the next step.

_We'll have to make sure that the seawater doesn't corrode any of the gear, _he thought. _And I still have to do my report, of course. Probably should be doing that now, anyway. Need to find some time to practice meditating as well..._

"Sir?" He glanced up at the sound of Boxer's voice. The clone captain stood beside him, a hesitant look on his face. "I wanted to congratulate you again on your success with the Naeids; I wish I had been there, but some of the other lads told me about it. I was wondering...how did you manage to communicate with them?" His brow furrowed. "I can't make heads or tails of anything they say, especially since we don't have a protocol droid."

Stonewall paused to consider his response, as he had been reluctant to let anyone besides the Jedi know of his recently discovered abilities. Finally he raised his brows at the younger clone and pitched his voice in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone. "Travel the galaxy with a Jedi, Boxer, you pick up a few tricks of your own."

The other clone nodded, though he looked unconvinced. However, something in the distance, beyond Stonewall's shoulder, caught his eye; turning, Stonewall spotted Kalinda walking towards them from the sea. The clone Commander automatically rose from his seat to stand at attention.

"General Halcyon." Milo said as he got to his feet; the others had followed Stonewall's example as she approached, barefoot, dripping wet, and wringing out her hair. The clones stood at attention, watching her with a mixture of curiosity and attentiveness.

Kalinda regarded them for a moment before breaking into a smile. "I never did get to tell you guys 'well done,' did I?" Stone watched as his men straightened and saluted almost in unison. "Thank you, all of you."

"We only did what we were bred for, General," Boxer replied, the others nodding in agreement.

"You did more than that," she said. "I'm lucky to have soldiers like you to work with." They still stood, staring at her so she chuckled and shook her head. "At ease, for goodness' sake. Tonight is for you." At her words, most of the men took their seats again and the mood returned more or less to what it had been. She moved over to Stonewall, who had remained standing and took a seat n the remains of the droid next to him as she continued to squeeze the last of the sea water from her hair; he joined her after a moment.

Meanwhile, Milo had edged closer to her. "General?"

She smiled at him. "Milo?"

"Would you mind playing for us tonight?" he said, his voice hesitant. Some of the others in earshot chimed in and she nodded.

"Certainly, though I'll need some more participation this time from you."

Nodding eagerly, Milo sat back down, a look of relief crossing his face. Kalinda glanced at Stone's mug, sitting beside him in the sand. "Is this the local _ghree _I've been hearing so much about?" she asked, reaching for his cup and taking a sip. She pulled a face before swallowing. "It's very...fresh. And strong."

"Commander Stonewall's already warned us not to go overboard, sir," Boxer said, his back straight as he took a seat across the fire from her. "They'll be no hangovers tomorrow, I assure you."

She nodded and handed the cup back to Stonewall. "Commander, may I speak with you for a moment?"

He followed her away from the others, walking down the beach beneath the pale glow cast by the massive rings. Neither one of them spoke for a moment until she turned to him. "I'm really proud of you, Stone," she said. "And not just about what you did for the Naeids, I mean. Though that was excellent work." Her skin was cast in luminescence by the light of the rings as he looked down at her.

"Thank you, General," he said.

A smile pulled at the edges of her mouth. "I have something for you." She unclipped a lightsaber from her belt and handed it to him.

"Your lightsaber?" he asked with a frown. "Why..."

"Look at it, Stone," she said, her head shaking. "It's not the one I use, see the hilt?" He peered at the cylinder; indeed, upon closer inspection it was decidedly different than the one he'd seen her use. "Why are you giving this to me, Kalinda?" It was heavier than he'd imagined it would be.

"Because I think you're ready," she replied. "Though, I did adjust the power setting so that you won't be cutting off any limbs-for the moment, anyway." She showed him what she meant on the device. "Give it a try."

He glanced around. They were a good distance from the others, the large rock formations on the beach would shield the light from his men. The energy blade sprang to life with a familiar hiss, glowing brightly blue in the darkness. He gave an experimental swing, grinning at the sound and the heft of it in his hand.

She was smiling again. "What do you think?"

"It's fantastic," he replied. "Where did you get it?" The light arced through the air, leaving tracers of electric blue in its wake.

"I made it."

He paused mid-swing and lowered the blade to look at her. "You made it? For me?"

"When I was a Padawan," she explained, extending her hand. He passed the hilt to her and she examined it while she continued. "This was the saber that I made when I was...oh, thirteen or fourteen, I think. All Padawans have to make their own, at some point. It's part of our training." She slid into a fighting stance, the blade extended above her head. "It feels different than I remember." She gave it one last swing before handing it back to him. "We'll have to add sparring to the lesson plan."

He looked at her usual saber, which he now noticed was still clipped to her belt. "Did you make that one as well?"

Using the Force, she brought the hilt to her hand and activated the blade, which glowed a brilliant yellow. "No. This was my first master's blade. I took it after he died." She looked away for a moment, her eyes unfocused and lost in memory before she sighed and smiled back up at him. "I'd almost forgotten about my old one, but the last time we were on Coruscant I was reminded about it; I thought about you."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to wield this," he said after a pause. "I mean, it's an honor to have, but I don't think I'm ready." He made to deactivate the blade but was stopped when she moved the yellow saber towards him, touching her blade to his; beneath their feet, the sand was cast in a greenish hue.

"_I _think you are," she replied. "But that doesn't matter." At his frown she explained. "Of all the people in your life that you'll have to answer to, Stone, there is ultimately only _one_ of them that really matters. There is only one person in this world that you have to trust, that you have to believe in, above all others."

"You."

She frowned. "No, Stonewall." Her hand moved to rest on his armored chest. "_You._"

"I'd love to believe you," he said. "But you should know that that goes against pretty much everything I've ever been taught. My faith is in my brothers; in the group is where our strength lies. We clones aren't so great on our own."

Abruptly, the yellow glow of her saber disappeared into the hilt. "You have everything you already need right here," she tapped his chest again. "If you dare to look for it."

There was no response that came to his mind so he nodded, watching her as she regarded him. They stood before one another, closer than they should have, and he couldn't help but recall the feel of her lips beneath his, the soft murmur of his name on her mouth as they kissed. Though Mundali had been over half a year ago, he could never quite shake the memories. But that didn't bother him. Not really. He was bred and trained to survive the harshest climates, the most deadly battles and considered himself pretty good at being uncomfortable; though being near her was very often distracting and slightly painful he knew that he would rather be by her side than not.


	3. Chapter 3

The day after thebattle on Coraux was taken up by negotiations and preparations and he didn't see her until the evening, after the locals and the Naeids had reached an agreement; for most of the day Stonewall had kept the lads busy with extra cleaning and conditioning. He felt restless and caught himself glancing at the sky more often than not, looking for the transport that was supposed to pick them up and take them to their next mission. Finally, when dusk had begun tinting the sky with indigo she appeared with the leader of the Human settlers and Osh'en, both of whom looked pleased with the results of the negotiations, respectively shaking Kalinda's hand and giving her a bow. She returned both gestures before waving goodbye to the leaders and approaching her Commander.

"How's it look?"

Stonewall glanced at the sky again. "We received word that the transport from the _Valiant_ should be arriving soon, but I have yet to see any sign of them." He looked at her. "Could be delayed for any number of reasons, I guess. I tried to call them a few minutes ago and got a 'stand by.'"

She nodded. "Everyone looks ready to go. I guess we'll just have to wait." Her brow lifted at him. "Care to break out your drums? I actually managed to keep the dulcimer from getting destroyed this time-unlike that last mission." She laughed. "I think this one is number seven?"

He wasn't really in the mood to play but could never say no to her, no matter how much he might want to. "Sounds like a plan. They're getting a little edgy, anyway."

"Well, then I suppose a distraction will be welcome," she replied as they stepped over to the troops. Minutes later they were seated around the remains of the previous night's festivities, Kalinda strumming a tune on her dulcimer while Stone hammered out an accompanying rhythm on the _tablas, _the small, dual-sided drums that he'd started playing almost a year ago. _Has it really been that long? _he thought as he watched her.

It was a song that his men were learning to know well and he glanced at Milo who was nodding along, his mouth moving with the words. Captain Boxer stood behind the private, arms crossed. Most of the others were engaging to some degree with the music, though it was plain that they were still not entirely comfortable with the idea of taking a more participatory role. "Boxer," Kalinda said after the song had ended. "Why don't you give the drums a try?"

The clone captain hesitated, caught between uncertainty and an innate desire to please the Jedi. However, he was spared from the decision by Milo, who had been eying the _tablas_. "May I try, sir?" he asked, glancing at Stone, who nodded and handed the drums to the private. He was not very good, but he was eager to learn, especially after Stonewall gave him some pointers; soon most of the men were clapping, or at least nodding in time with the music while Kali sang one of the pop songs they all knew. After several minutes they heard the distinctive whine of a transport that had broken into atmo and was prepping to land beyond them on the shore. Handing the drums back to Stone, Milo gave a wide grin to his commander. "What do you think, sir?" he asked.

Stonewall glanced at Kalinda, who was taking a last look at the rippling sea. "There's definitely potential, Milo."

* * *

"Another job?" The bounty hunter's red eyes were shadowed as he regarded the hologram before him. "You should know that my fee has tripled since we spoke last." He lit a cigarra and blew the smoke as nonchalantly as he could across the back room of the mostly empty bar, hoping not to reveal how much he despised accepting jobs from this particular patron.

The cloaked figure gave a mild wave of his hand as if dismissing Bane's words. "The Jedi have enjoyed a few too many victories of late. Some demoralizing is in order; you are to capture a Jedi Master and bring him to the following coordinates."

Bane tilted his head. "Anyone in particular?"

"I'll leave that to your discretion," the cloaked figure replied. "Just see that it's done. I also do not want any of your accomplices involved," he added. "The operation must be discreet. I shall have intelligence sent to you regarding the locations of each Jedi Master."

"A Jedi Master," Bane said, running his hand along the wide brim of his hat. "By myself. That's not going to be easy, you know. Or cheap." Smoke curled around his mouth as he smiled. "I'll do it."

The cloaked figure nodded once before the transmission ended; a moment later the indicator light on his datapad began to flash, announcing the arrival of a new message. As he began to study the report one name in particular caught his eye, causing a broad smile to creep across his dark blue skin. "Hello, my friend," he said with a nod. "I think you and I have some issues that we need to resolve."

Cad Bane was not in this business to seek revenge, but in this one instance he was willing to make an exception.

* * *

Once aboard the _Valiant, _Kalinda wanted nothing more than to fall asleep after a hot shower; however, the universe had other plans. The moment her boots touched the hangar bay she was greeted by the insistent beeping of her comlink; a hologram of the Sullustan Admiral Callero, appeared at her wrist, his wide earstwitching with apprehension. "General," he said. "I apologize for the delay in picking you up, but we received our next set of orders from Coruscant."

Nodding, Kali glanced at Stonewall, who had come to stand at his usual place beside her. "Which are?"

"Nothing terribly complex," the Admiral said, fixing his large, unblinking eyes on her. "We had to stop and pick up some relief supplies to bring to Bandomeer. Are you ready to head out?"

"Let's do it, Admiral," she replied, shutting off her comm with a sigh. Glancing at Stone she gave a wry smile. "Here we go again."

He nodded. "I'll let the boys know. Should be easy enough."

* * *

Later, when she had finally made it to her quarters, Kalinda contacted Obi-Wan, grinning as his familiar image flickered to life before her. "Why hello, there," he said, smiling back at her. "I hear congratulations are in order for your victory on Coraux."

"Thank you," she replied, sitting up a little straighter. "Though it wouldn't have happened if not for Stone's efforts with the natives. Did you read my report?"

Even tiny, blue and flickering he looked tired. "No, I haven't yet had a chance, I'm afraid. But I take it that his training is coming along well?"

"It is," she answered. "Though he doesn't have much faith in his own skills."

"Give him time," Obi-Wan replied. "With your training, I'm certain that things will work out."

It pleased her to hear him say that and she almost reached for him as she would have if they'd been together, though she stilled her hand at the last moment. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about Bandomeer."

"Ah," he said. "Not a social call, then. Pity."

She smiled. "Apparently, we have to mop up after the last invasion though the citizens are less-than-eager to receive our help; if I recall, you spent a bit of time there when you were a young, innocent lad."

"Young? Certainly. Innocent, well..." His eyebrows lifted. "That depends on your point of view, I suppose. As far as Bandomeer goes, there's really not much to say," he added, his hand going to his beard while he considered. "The Meerians are a hardworking people, though they are not always the most proactive." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Surely you could have learned this information on your own, Kali."

"I'm sorry, are you busy?" she asked, raising her eyebrow and giving him a wry look. "I can always sign off."

"Not at the moment," he replied. "Certainly not for you, at any rate..._Master_ Halcyon." He gave her one of his rare grins that never failed to make her heart skip a beat as though she was sixteen again.

Smiling, she rolled her eyes. "Please."

"It's a well-earned title, Kali, especially with everything that has happened after Basrah." His tone was casual, but she frowned at the realization of they way their lives were measured now: _before _Geonosis, _during _Muunilist, _after _Basrah.

"If you say so," she replied. "It still doesn't feel quite real." They looked at each other for a moment before she cleared her throat. "How is Talasea?"

"Humid and full of droids. Anakin and his Padawan are having fun decimating them, but to tell you the truth it's growing rather tedious. We got a report of a disturbance on Ambria I was thinking of investigating, if only to break up the monotony."

"Business as usual, then?" She tried to keep her tone light, conversational, as though it wasn't next to impossible to watch him, to talk to him without being able to touch him.

"I miss you," he replied, as if sensing her thoughts. "It's been months since we've seen each other. When are you scheduled for leave?"

She shook her head. "Not for a while. You?"

His brow lifted again and his smile returned, though it was shadowed. "The same. We'll have to arrange-" Something caught his attention in the distance; he glanced away for a moment before looking back at her. "I should probably go, Kali, unless you need something else?"

"No, Ben," she said, smiling despite the pit of gnawing loneliness in her belly and the constant fear that this would be the last time she saw him. _After all, there's a war on_. "May the Force be with you."

"And you, my love." His image flickered before it died, leaving her alone once more.

* * *

"Any questions?"

Some of the soldiers shifted in their seats, set up in the hangar bay for the briefing. Stonewall glanced at a shiny in the fourth row who had an edge of uncertainty about him. "You there, Milo. Anything you need clarification on? All intel is worth having."

The young clone looked at his brothers on either side of him before he spoke. "We're not going to another battle, sir?"

Stonewall suppressed a sigh. _He's just young, _he thought. _You were like that, once; always hungry for a fight. _He shook his head. "No, soldier, though you should be prepared for anything. But we'll be doing important work so I expect nothing less than a hundred percent from each of you, is that clear?"

Milo nodded, though the disappointment radiated off of him in an almost palpable wave. That was a side effect of his minor Force abilities, Stone had learned: the ability to pick up on the emotions of others. He was working to block it, though sometimes it proved a useful tool.

Sometimes it was simply annoying.

He wrapped up the briefing and dismissed his men, watching as they went their separate ways; the time on board a starship like the _Valiant _was often frustratingly boring for the clones, who were mostly ill-equipped to handle long stretches of space travel. Most of them, he knew, anticipated daily battles that would either kill them or test their mettle; it was, after all, what they had been created for. However, Stonewall found that he was content to try and meditate, seated on the floor of his quarters where he attempted to push all thoughts from his mind.

It was a strange thing, though not unwelcome. Of all of the abilities that the Jedi possessed, meditation was one that Stone had always considered nonessential; that had changed, though, when Kalinda had begun to train him in the ancient Force technique. Though small and sparsely furnished, his quarters were cramped and he could smell the salty water that lingered, seeped into his armor, which he hadn't yet taken the time to properly clean. His eyes closed, his breathing steadied. Slowly, his mind began to empty-a pleasant change- as he felt his body relax, though he remained alert and aware of his surroundings.

Or so he thought.

"Sir?" Boxer's voice sounded at his door, which he had forgotten to lock. "I have a question for..." Stone got to his feet as quickly as he could before the clone captain entered his room, suppressing the urge to glare at his officer who was looking at him with uncertainty. "Were you...sitting on the floor, sir?"

"What do you need, Captain?"

Boxer stood at attention. "Just wanted to go over the mission one more time, if you don't mind. Sir." He paused, then sniffed the air curiously before casting a glance to Stone's armor, which was discarded on the floor. "You haven't cleaned your kit, yet?"

Stonewall stepped over to the captain. "Not your concern, Boxer. Did you have a particular question about Bandomeer?"

"I just want to make sure I have it right," the clone captain said after a slight hesitation before launching into a pretty much verbatim account of what Stone had told them earlier. While the captain spoke, Stonewall watched him and was able to pick up on the uncertainty in his thoughts.

"Captain," Stone replied when he had finished. "You've got it right. Why are you so apprehensive?"

The other clone gave him an odd look. "Apprehensive, sir? No, I just don't want to disappoint anyone. I'm still new to the position, you know." Despite his words, the Force told a different story; his unease was palpable.

"I know how you feel," Stonewall said with a nod. "But I'm confident in your abilities, Boxer. You're no shiny, you know. All of your training has led you to this moment; you have only to take the necessary steps."

Boxer gave a nervous laugh. "That sounds like something a Jedi would say, sir." Stonewall could feel the captain's attention slipping again to his discarded armor and silently cursed himself for not cleaning it the moment that he was able. _What in the blazes is wrong with me? No proper soldier abandons his kit like that, _he thought as he dismissed Boxer. With a sigh, he settled back onto the floor and tried to clear his mind once more.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note: Okay, I updated the first few chapters again, but hopefully it's for the last time! _

Kalinda's comlink chirped, interrupting the beginnings of a very pleasant dream-the only part of which that remained was the scent and taste of Obi-Wan's skin beneath her lips-and she couldn't help but feel slightly cross as she sat up and answered the call from the bridge. "Yes?"

"We've received a transmission, sir. A distress call." It was one of the clones who operated on the night shift. "From a Republic ship about four parsecs off our course."

Kalinda nodded. "Notify the Admiral and patch it through to me, please." Instantly, an image of a clone captain, seated in a long range fighter, appeared before her. "_This is Captain Chrome, requesting assistance. My squad has been ambushed; I've lost over half my men and the Seppies are closing in those of us that are left." _There was a pause while he fired on some unseen enemy. "_If anyone is within range, Crimson Squad requires immediate assistance. Repeat: Crimson Squad requires-" _The transmission ended abruptly, leaving Kali with a cold feeling in her stomach as she called the bridge.

"Your orders, sir?" Admiral Callero's voice was drowsy, as he had undoubtedly been asleep as well.

"You have their coordinates," she replied, slipping on her boots and making her way to the door. "Make for them with utmost haste, Admiral. I'll get the fighters ready." Moments later she had called Stone and Boxer to the hangar, a contingent of troops trotting out with the clone commander.

"What's the word, General?" Stonewall asked.

She relayed the transmission to the others. "We're minutes away," she said. "We must save them." She looked at the troops, their eagerness was palpable. "No man will be left behind."

Boxer nodded. "Get those fighters prepped, lads," he ordered. Immediately the clones began rushing from one fighter to the next with alacrity, their movements efficient and coordinated.

Stone looked at Kalinda. "With all due respect, Kali," he said, his voice pitched low. "Why are we doing this? Our mission is to help the people of Bandomeer."

"We can't abandon those men, Stone," Kalinda replied. "Especially when we're so close. We must save them." She glanced at Milo, who was working with Boxer on a nearby fighter-hers, if she was correct. "We must."

"But, they're just a few," he replied with a shake of his head. "Whereas the situation on Bandomeer is affecting many...can you really justify delaying that mission just to potentially rescue a few clones?" His voice was almost inaudible amid the shouts and calls from the troops as they worked and the whine of fighter engines starting up.

Kalinda felt a flicker of doubt. _He's right, _she thought. _But I still can't abandon any of them. _Her comm chirruped. The bridge again. "Admiral?" She felt the ship slowing its frenetic pace through the stars, the engines thrumming the floor beneath her feet.

"General Halcyon. We're approaching the source of the distress signal now. Coming out of hyperspace as we speak."

"Excellent. Prepare to open the hangar doors." She looked at Stone, whose expression was carefully neutral. "I suggest you get to your fighter, Commander."

"As you say, General," he replied. Within moments the hangar doors began to creep open, letting in a shaft of light and the squadron lifted off.

From what Kalinda could make out, it had been a vicious battle; fragments of Republic ships littered the space between their crafts and she spotted at least one clone body lifelessly adrift. "I don't see any enemy ships," she said to the bridge of the _Valiant_. "Can you confirm that we're alone?"

"Negative, General," the Admiral's voice was edged with concern. "We're seeing six fighters approaching from your left."

"General Halcyon, I've got them in my sights," Stone said, his voice crackling over the mic. "Bolt, Anders: cover me." He maneuvered his craft, angling so that he was aimed at the droid fighters; in the next moment, blaster fire ripped through the air.

"General," Milo said. "I'm at the distress signal-it looks like there's a few fighters left."

"Any survivors?"

There was a pause before the young clone replied. "Yes. I see...five clones...on top of the central ship." His voice was incredulous. "They're in open space...firing on the tinnies!"

"Getting the job done," Boxer's voice was pleased.

Kalinda glanced towards Stone's ship, which was under pursuit by the droids. "Everyone, concentrate all your fire on those droids! We must protect the soldiers." Immediately, the Republic ships opened fire on the sleek Separatist crafts, which were alarmingly fast and maneuverable as they slipped out of the line of blaster shots, making a beeline for the exposed clones who were still firing volley after volley.

"Crimson Squad," Kali said, extending the transmission to cover all Republic channels, hoping that he would hear her. "This is General Halcyon. We're trying to help you, but you're too exposed in your current positions. Get in your ships, and we'll tow you in once we've taken out those droids." As if heedless of her calls the clones held their positions. _Their comms must be broken, _Kali thought, gritting her teeth and steering her fighter towards them. _I have to cover them. _"Protect those troopers," she called out even as Stonewall veered his craft before hers in his pursuit of the droids.

There was blaster fire all around her as the enemy ships levied one final attack on the clones, sending a shudder through the void of space as they destroyed what was left of Crimson Squad; moments later her men were able to finish off the droids, but it was too late.

Stone's voice sounded in her ear. "I'm sorry, General. They're gone."

* * *

Even though Stonewall knew that it was most likely a futile mission he respected her for the attempted rescue. The mood was somber when they returned to the hangar of the _Valiant, _though it wasn't from his men, who were trained to deal with seeing their brothers die by the hundreds.

He watched as Kalinda remained in her fighter while the others disembarked; it didn't take the Force to tell him that she was devastated about the loss of his brothers even as he watched her raise her comlink and speak with Admiral Callero. Approaching her ship, he knocked on the glass, feeling a familiar twinge when she turned to look at him. "General?" She shook her head; a moment later the cockpit opened with a hiss and she stepped out, looking around the hangar as if she'd never seen it before. He said her name and put a tentative hand out to hers to steady her while she stepped to the ground. At his touch she looked at him, took a breath as if to speak, then shook her head again and slipped out of his grasp, stepping to the middle of the clones who had gathered together to await her words.

"Thank you all for your efforts," she said as they felt the cruiser began to accelerate again. "I only wish we had made it in time to help your brothers."

Milo, who stood closest to her, shook his head. "They did their duty, General, sir. As would we all." The other clones nodded in agreement.

Stone glanced at Boxer who began to give orders to the men. "Alright boys, let's get back to work. These fighters aren't going to clean themselves. Milo-you got some carbon scouring on your craft's nose; I expect to see these things looking shiny and new in no time!" Immediately the clones went to work as Kalinda stepped towards the turbolift that would bring her to the tactical room, Stonewall following in her wake.

Once they'd arrived at their destination Kalinda signaled the Jedi Temple and the images of Generals Windu and Yoda soon appeared at the holopanel in the center of the room. "Masters," Kalinda said, nodding to each of them. "Admiral Callero said that he informed you of our rescue mission?"

General Windu nodded. "He did-_after _you'd already started it. I realize that this may be new to you, but it is protocol to request permission to deviate from your intended mission plan, General. Delaying your original mission to take a pointless risk is unnecessary and dangerous." His gaze was locked on Kalinda. "Were you successful?"

"No," she replied, her voice quiet. "No, we weren't."

"Much worse, the losses could have been," General Yoda said. "Put your own troops in harm's way, you did."

"You will make haste to Bandomeer at once," General Windu added. "Report when you've dropped off the supplies."

He could see that her cheeks were flushed as she gave a slight bow. "Yes, Masters." The transmission ended and she let out a deep sigh before putting her hands to her temples, rubbing her fingers in small circles. After a moment she looked at him. "No matter how old I get, he always makes me feel like a youngling."

Stone smiled. "General Windu has that effect on people." He lifted his comlink and contacted the bridge. "What's our ETA, Admiral?"

"With the, er, adjustment to our course, we should be there in nine point six hours, Commander."

He looked at her. "Enough time for you to get some sleep, I think. You look tired." He expected a protest or a denial of the fact and was startled when she simply nodded and turned to leave, pausing at the door to incline her head to him.

"Thank you, Stone."

"Anytime, Kali."

* * *

It was easier than Bane had anticipated to take down the Jedi's ship; a viral feed into the Republic holochannels that warned of a disturbance on a system near Kenobi's position coupled with a few well-placed shots at the Jedi's engine were the bait and trap, respectively. The Inner Rim planet of Ambria was rumored to be wrought with nebulous "Dark Side" energies that should be more than enough to even the odds between himself and a lone Jedi, even a Master; all of the intel on Ambria stated that the Jedi had difficulty harnessing their Force abilities on this particular planet and he fully intended to use that fact to his advantage. He had done his homework, after all.

Bane watched with satisfaction from his vantage point as the Jedi's ship began to break apart in mid-air, smoke streaming from both thrusters as his recently purchased jammers proved their worth. However, taking down the ship was the easy part, as he lost sight of the blasted thing once it scattered apart through the mountains and dunes. He cursed under his breath as his scanners failed to reveal any trace of General Kenobi's ship or the Jedi himself; the barrage of wind and sand was playing hell with the sensors. "Guess I'll have to do this the old fashioned way," he muttered to himself, easing his craft down through the clouds to begin his search. "Stinking Jedi."

The memory of his recent interrogation-if that was what you called something that amounted to a mental gang-bang-stung more than the bounty hunter cared to admit; it was true that there was an element of revenge involved with this job, which was normally not a smart way to play the game.

Normally.

_After all, _he thought as he scanned the barren, rocky landscape. _I have a reputation to uphold. No one, not even a Jedi Master, does that to Cad Bane and gets away with it._


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks for the kind words! And muchos gracias to SerendipityAEY, without whom this story would've sucked the big one. _

_

* * *

_

Of course Kali couldn't sleep _now. _

No matter how desperately she wanted to return to the pleasant world of the dreams where she and Obi-Wan were together doing something unseemly, sleep eluded her grasp; instead, she tossed and turned for what felt like hours, though it was nothing like that long. _Very well, _she thought, getting out of bed and taking a seat, cross-legged on the floor of her small cabin. _Let's try meditating. _She inhaled through her nose, counting slowly to ten before exhaling through her mouth, repeating the count; the method was one of the first things she'd learned when she came to the Jedi Order over thirty years ago and it almost never failed to quiet her mind, to quell the doubt and loneliness that so often wormed their way into her thoughts, especially of late.

_Almost _never.

Her eyes snapped open as she felt an itch on her back between her shoulder-blades, which she should have been able to ignore, but she found that she could not. A glance at her chronometer told her that she had only been in her room for just over an hour. _Eight point six to go,_ she thought wryly, picking up her comlink to contact Obi-Wan. After three tries and no answer she gave up. _He's probably busy; he's certainly _not_ in any danger, _she thought, getting to her feet and going to stand by the small, round window that was one of the cabin's few amenities. _Perhaps if I think it enough it will be true._ The stars rushed by, heedless of the petty concerns of the beings who warred among them, lost and dying every day.

Kalinda's mouth quirked into a smile at her reverie before she turned from the window. _I must be tired, if I've resorted to such maudlin thoughts_.

A vision of Crimson Squad, spending the last moments of their unnaturally short lives in the cold of open space firing on the droid ships, came back to her as she settled on the floor again in yet another attempt to quiet her mind. _It's not right, _she thought. _They deserved more than to die in a futile attempt to destroy a few Separatist ships. _Frowning, she inhaled and exhaled again, trying to push the thoughts away; instead, the agitation seemed only to increase, filling her with a restlessness that she could not quell. With a sigh, she got to her feet. There was a half hour of failed attempts at exercise, then another of fruitless pacing before she resorted to contacting Stonewall in the barracks. His voice was alert, though she was certain he'd been fast asleep. "General? What's wrong?"

She swallowed thickly. "Can you come to my quarters, please?"

There was a beat of silence before he replied. "I'll be there in a moment." Her heart was thudding in her chest as she twisted her hair into a knot, more to give her hands something to do other than tremble. It felt a lot longer than a moment, but she figured that her perception of time was highly subjective at this point. At last there was a familiar presence outside her door, which she activated with a wave of her hand. The clone entered the room with caution and measured footsteps as he watched her, like she was some wild creature he had never before encountered.

"Are you okay?" Concern was evident in his voice, along with something else she usually tried not to notice.

She shook her head. "I know you don't care, Stone," she said, shutting her door. "About the clones we lost today, but I do and I'm sorry. I really am." She leaned against the wall and rubbed her forehead.

He frowned. "I never said that I don't care, Kalinda. It's just...it's a part of life for me-for all clones-to see our brothers die in combat. You've seen your fellow Jedi fall, right?" His voice was gentle, more so than usual and she knew that he was picking up on her very palpable emotions. At the mention of other Jedi, an image of Obi-Wan, bleeding and lying at her feet, sprang unbidden to her mind.

"Of course I have." Her voice was quiet and she came to stand before him. "But I never get used to it." Her arms hugged her sides; almost absently she leaned into his chest-he was wearing a tunic and trousers, the armor being too uncomfortable to sleep in-and he was very warm. Solid. Familiar. She inhaled his scent and gave a sigh as a little bit of the restlessness receded from her mind, along with the disturbing vision.

And then his arms were around her and he was embracing her with an enthusiasm that she had never quite managed to forget, despite her best efforts. Beneath her ear she could feel his heart beating rapidly, his hands cradling the small of her back; he kissed the top of her head with a tenderness that made her pull back and look up at him, catching his eyes with her own. "I'm sorry, Stone." Her voice was hushed. "I shouldn't have called you...it was a moment of weakness." Arms still hugging her midsection, she stepped away from him and braced herself against the crestfallen expression that came across his face.

After a moment he nodded. "Of mine, too." His next words were hesitant, tinged with a longing that made her close her eyes. "What happens now?"

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, which had fallen out of her hasty knot before she looked at him. "You know that I care for you, Stone."

"I know that I love you, Kali."

"And I love Obi-Wan." Part of her wanted to reach for him, to offer a measure of comfort to his stricken expression, but she knew that it would be an unforgivable lie that would only lead to more despair, so she lowered her arms and balled her fists, resolute. "What happened...what has happened between us was..." she paused, searching for the words. "Was wonderful. But it wasn't real, Stone. It was lust and desire, but it wasn't love. You say you love me, but do you know what that means? Do you understand what it means to truly love someone?"

"I understand more than you might think," he replied, his voice low, though there was an edge to it that she had never heard before. "I know that I'm ignorant of a lot of things, Kali, but I know what's real. I'm no _di'kut._"

"Of course you're not, Stone," she said, taking a deep breath. "But there is a lot you don't understand, I think, only because you don't have the experience. Love is more than a feeling born of circumstance, of passion-"

He frowned. "I realize that, Kalinda, but you should know that I don't say the words lightly. I _know_ how I feel."

She nodded. "And you know how I feel, Stone. I...care about you, but I love Obi-Wan." She fixed her gaze on his and willed him to understand. "And I don't say _those _words lightly." A slow, steadying breath brought her a small amount of composure. "The Force; it brought you to me, or me to you...it brought us together for some purpose. You have to understand that."

"Kali..." The emotion on his face was plain; she could feel desire and frustration emanating from him in an almost tangible wave. Once more he reached for her but she kept the distance between them.

"I'm sorry," she said again. "Stone...I'm so sorry."

At this he turned to leave; she said his name again but he ignored her as he made to activate the door; it was only her hand on his arm that made him pause, made him turn and look at her. "I won't do this anymore, Kalinda," he said at last, willing his voice to be steady. "I can't." She opened her mouth to reply but he shook his head and continued. "I thought I could handle everything, but if you're going to..." he gestured helplessly. "Then I'm out. I'm done. As soon as we've completed our mission on Bandomeer, I'm going to request a reassignment. It's for the best."

"What about your training? You have so much potential."

"It's not right, Kalinda; the Kaminoans didn't want to give us access to the Force, and I see why, now. It's too much..." He frowned. "I'm sure that the Jedi Council can figure something out. I'll continue to do my duty to the Republic no matter what else happens." He looked at her and she could see that he was trying to harden his heart. "Sometimes I wish we'd never even met, Kali," he said at last. "You've changed me too much."

At that moment, as she was taking a breath to reply, her comm lit up. "What is it?"

"Master Halcyon," a young man's voice replied. "It's Anakin." His tone was wrong and she felt the blood rush from her hands, turning her fingers to ice as all of her focus shifted to the tiny device in her hand.

"What's happened?"

"Obi-Wan went to Ambria hours ago," he replied. "He didn't check in and no one can get a hold of him, which isn't really unusual...it's just, well, I have a bad feeling about it." He sighed and she could picture his frown. "It's not like him to go without contacting us, even though the comlinks have been spotty-he'd keep trying, you know that. And I can't sense him, Master. Not a flicker...nothing. Anyway, Ahsoka and I can't leave right now-things here are kind of complicated-and your ship appears to be closest to his location."

She glanced at Stonewall, who refused to meet her eyes. "We'll be on our way at once. I'll let you know what I find as soon as I can."

"Thank you, Kalinda," he replied. "Like I said, our communications aren't great now, but check in when and if you're able. As soon as we can get away, we'll join you." The transmission ended and she put her hands to her forehead, picturing Obi-Wan's face in her mind as she sifted through the Force for his familiar presence. But he was not there; instead she was met by a void that may as well have been empty space. Finally she looked back at Stone, who had not moved.

"Your orders, General?" The tone of his voice was bitter; though it pained her she cast the feeling aside to focus on the matter at hand.

"Gather some men and get a transport ready. We need to leave as soon as possible."

* * *

"You know what to do, Admiral? You and Captain Boxer are more than capable of delivering the supplies and dealing with the locals," Kalinda said, facing the Sullustan in the tactics room.

The Admiral nodded. "Of course, General, we're exiting hyperspace as we speak." He paused. "I served with General Kenobi last year," he said slowly. "He's a good man. I wish you the best of luck."

Kalinda felt her throat tighten but she nodded and turned to Stone and a very nervous looking Boxer. "We'll leave as soon as you're ready." He nodded, but made no other response before he and the clone captain left the room; Kalinda followed several minutes later after giving the Admiral a few more instructions. In the hangar bay she bit back her impatience as Stonewall selected three clones: Milo, Duster, and the pilot, Jory, and began giving Boxer some last minute advice while the men prepped the transport.

"Are you certain about this, Commander? You think I can handle it?"

Even though she could tell that he was agitated, Kali watched as Stonewall took a deep breath and faced the captain, placing a hand on his chest. "I know you're ready, Boxer. You've had the same training that I've had; all you need now is experience." Though he still looked unconvinced, the captain nodded before saluting, his back straight.

Finally they were ready to go. They stepped aboard the transport, the doors sealing around them with an ominous clang. Kalinda looked at Jory in the cockpit. "Take us out."

"Copy that, General," the clone replied; moments later they felt the transport lift into space and carry them to the small, sulfur-colored planet in the distance. The men were quiet and she was aware of Stonewall beside her, though his emotions were masked from her mind. She closed her eyes and pictured Obi-Wan's face smooth and unharmed, as if willing it to be so.

_Let us be in time, _she thought as they began to descend into the atmosphere. _Please let me be in time._

_

* * *

_

From the cockpit of _The Sleight of Hand, _Bane cursed again as he watched the second Republic ship enter atmo, no doubt looking for the missing Jedi Master. _There weren't supposed to be any clones out this way._ _With my luck, they sent a whole team of the fragging bastards,_ he thought. "This situation is getting more problematic than I need it to be," he muttered to Todo. "Take that-" he waved a hand at the descending clone transport. "Out. If their sensors are like mine, they won't see us until they're hitting the dust."

"Certainly, sir," the little droid replied in a smooth voice as he activated the _Sleight of Hand_'s weapons and fired on the craft, sending it veering off course and smoking as it plummeted to the ground. "Got them, sir!" Bane raised his binoculars and watched as the Republic ship slid across the rocky terrain, thankful again that he had seen to it that the _Sleight of Hand _was outfitted with the latest in stealth technology. Todo looked out the viewport almost eagerly. "Are they dead?" he asked, glancing at Bane.

The blue-skinned Duros could just barely make out the figures that were clambering out of the demolished transport; however, a frown came to his face when he saw that one of them was wielding a lightsaber. _This just got a little more complicated, _he thought. _Not what I needed today. _He glanced at HELIOS-3E, the tall, gangly sentinel droid that waited behind him. "You're going to have to take care of this...complication. I don't want any witnesses, especially ones with those kriffing laser swords. After Todo sets us down you'll take them out and report to me when you've finished."

* * *

"You're hurt, General," Milo's voice was almost shocked, making Kalinda want to chuckle despite the very dire situation they had found themselves in. "I thought the Jedi were indestructible." She accepted his shoulder to lean on while she inspected at her injured leg-the right one, of course, though the old injury in her left knee would start bothering her soon if she kept putting weight on it-before she cast her awareness out, searching, even as she held her saber aloft.

"I wish that were true, Milo, but we're flesh and blood," she replied. "Just like you." _Something's not right here, _she thought. _This place is ripe with the Dark Side._ Wishing she had her datapad, she wracked her brain to try and remember what she'd heard about Ambria. _Something about an old Sith stronghold maybe?_

Before she could think if it, Stonewall approached her. "Jory's dead. Duster and I are uninjured. Milo?"

"I'm fine, sir."

"Very well," the clone commander nodded. "What are your orders, General?"

Her leg was throbbing; her upper thigh had been struck with a shard of metal during their descent and she could feel trickles of blood seeping down her skin. "Whoever did this will most likely want to make sure the job got done," she replied. "We need to find shelter and regroup before we continue." Stone nodded, though she could sense his apprehension as he took in her injury.

At her words, Duster had started scanning the rocky terrain and pointed to a promising location nearby. "There's a cave over there that looks like decent cover, sir," he said to Stonewall, who took a look before nodding again.

"It'll work for now. Let's go." They began to make their way to the cave, albeit slowly enough to accommodate Kali's limp. Finally, she felt Stone pick her up, though there was no warmth in the gesture. "You're too injured to walk, sir," he said as they clambered over the ground. "This is faster."

Before she could reply the Force flickered a warning and she glanced behind them just in time to see the light glint off of the speeder as it slipped behind some rocks below their position. "Look out," she called. "Behind us!" Immediately, the clones slid into attack positions, finding what cover they could and began firing on the droid, which looked to be a sentinel class assassin. While the others took cover about three meters away, Stonewall set her down beside him as he pulled out his blaster while she did her best to deflect any energy bolts that came their way. However, the IG-86's were known for their formidable nature in battle and this one was no exception as it advanced towards them, firing shots in rapid succession and seemingly impervious to harm.

She heard Duster curse just before he was struck down so she tried to use her Force shield, the tactic she'd first tested on Basrah, to cover their shrinking group; however, the Dark Side rippled around her, dulling her senses and her connection to the Force. "Stone, I'm having trouble focusing," she said, turning to him as she tried to deflect the blaster bolts back to the persistent droid. "Can you help me?"

He paused. Then, as if on a whim, he flung his hand out before him and sent the droid back with a strong Force push, disorienting it long enough for him to get a clear shot. Soon it was a smoking wreck and the group stood up, glancing around warily. Milo knelt by Duster and shook his head. "He's gone, sirs. What do we do, now?"

Kalinda and Stonewall exchanged a glance before she nodded to the direction the droid had come from. "Is its speeder salvageable?" While the private went to check, Stone knelt by the remains of the droid.

"This is not your run-of-the-mill assassin," he said as he examined the clanker's smoldering head. "It's been outfitted with an energy shield as well as an advanced thermal tracker." He met her gaze. "I've only seen bounty hunters use these."

Nodding, Kalinda tried her best to stand upright, though she had to brace herself against a nearby rock as Milo returned. "It's a no go on the speeder, sir. It's shot."

"We still need cover," Kalinda replied, glancing at the darkening sky. "And it looks like dusk is coming-I have no desire to be stuck out here at night." Stonewall picked her up again and she tried her comlink while they made their way to the nearby cavern. There was interference but she was able to catch a flicker of sound for just a moment, hearing a voice that made her heart leap.

"...is any...Gen...enobi...require...ance..."

"Obi-Wan," she shouted into the comm. "Ben, are you there?" There was nothing for a moment besides the sound of the wind before she heard his voice again.

"...ali?"

She nearly wept with relief. "Where are you? What are your coordinates?"

They had reached the cave before she heard his answer, which was garbled but mostly intelligible. Stonewall checked it against the GPS in his gear and nodded. "It's not far from here, General," he said. "Only about twenty-seven klicks east." The cave was small, but offered shelter from the rising wind and the dropping temperature; he placed Kali against the far wall and ordered Milo to stand at the entrance. "I can make it within a few hours," he said as he knelt beside her, removing his helmet. She opened her mouth to argue but he shook his head. "You're injured," he replied, pitching his voice low though his tone was businesslike. "You should keep off that leg. Which reminds me..." He pulled out his medipac and began removing bacta patches and other supplies while she hitched up her leggings, taking them from him though she did not move for several moments until he cleared his throat.

"Stonewall," she said as she began to dab at the wound. "You shouldn't go alone, especially if there's a bounty hunter out there looking for us. Take Milo."

"Aren't you forgetting?" He gave a tight smile. "I'm not alone if I have the Force," he said, showing her the lightsaber that he'd concealed beneath his kama. "I'll be okay."

"Stone, I'm so sorry," she replied after a moment, her voice barely audible. "For everything. You're right...it's not fair." She met his eyes. "You know I never wanted to hurt you."

He shook his head and watched as she fastened the bandage around her leg before carefully pulling the fabric back over it. "You need to rest this leg, General," he said, getting to his feet. "Milo. You are to guard General Halcyon until I return with General Kenobi."

"Sir, yessir," Milo replied, his back straight. "With my life."

There was much more that she wanted to say to him, but she bit the words back. "I'll keep trying the comlinks," she said as she looked up at him. He nodded and made to replace his helmet but she said his name one last time, meeting his eyes and touching his thoughts with her own. _The Dark Side is very strong here, _she thought. _Be careful, my valiant soldier._

"I'll be back soon, General," he replied, settling his helmet back in place and nodding to Milo before he slipped out of the cavern and into the encroaching darkness. There was a moment of silence while Kalinda took several deep breaths to steady herself before she tried again to reach Obi-Wan through the Force; however, she was met by a blank wall, a void where his familiar, bright presence should have been. _The Dark Side is preventing me from sensing him, _she told herself, gritting her teeth. _That's all it is. He's fine. He's okay. _The comlink still wasn't working. She looked up at Milo, who was crouched by the entrance to the cave, his blaster out and every sense alert.

"Milo."

He started but recovered quickly as he turned to her. "Yes, General Halcyon?"

She shifted her hips and winced at the fresh pain in her thigh, hoping the painkiller in the bacta would kick in soon. "What's your favorite song?"

"My...favorite song, General?"

"I need a distraction," she replied. "I'm having a little trouble focusing right now and music helps me think. What's your favorite song?"

He considered a moment before shrugging. "I...I don't really know, General. Oh, there is that one I heard on the holonet the other day..." He tried to describe it to her; it was one of the newer pop songs that she had little patience for, but it was better than nothing. She began to sing, though he had to offer her some of the words at first; slowly her mind began to relax, letting her awareness extend beyond the cave and into the terrain outside.

It was then that she realized that they were not alone.


	6. Chapter 6

Stonewall crouched behind a stand of massive boulders and glanced around him to ensure that he was not being pursued. True dark was fast approaching and the wind was definitely picking up; he was anxious to cover as much ground as possible while he could still see without the use of his headlamps. The only good thing about the sickly yellow dust and dirt on this planet was that it stuck to his armor fairly well, allowing him some measure of camouflage against the terrain. He tried his comlink again but was met with static; agitation crawled in the pit of his stomach but he took a deep breath and pushed it aside. Once he was certain that he was not being followed he started running in earnest, knowing that he was headed in the correct direction to find General Kenobi, though he still loathed leaving Kalinda behind with a shiny like Milo.

_She's a Jedi Master, you dolt, _he thought as he sprang between a large stand of boulders. _She's more than able to defend herself. Don't let your feelings for her cloud your judgment any more than they already have. _Still, her leg had been injured pretty badly and he could feel the malevolent energy that rippled through this planet's atmo like toxic gas; indeed, he felt frustration and anger flooding his mind even as he pushed onward against the wind. _The Dark Side_, she had said. Well and so; he knew how to keep a level head, though he felt more than a little doubt at his ability with the lightsaber, despite his earlier candor. _I have to try, _he thought, reluctantly activating his redlamps as the darkness was now thick as muja-sauce. _So much depends on it. _

Finally, after what felt like weeks-though it was actually just shy of two hours-he approached the coordinates that General Kenobi had managed to give, as evidenced by the smoldering wreckage of his ship: one of the sleek fighters that the Jedi favored. After receiving static on his comm, Stone found that he had difficulty extending his awareness to search for the Jedi until he detected a flicker of life to his left; he approached, blaster drawn in case it was the bounty hunter or another assassin droid.

"Who's there?"

Stonewall should have relaxed but he felt his muscles tense at the sound of the General's voice. After a moment he lowered his weapon and stepped towards the sound. "It's Stonewall, General Kenobi," he said as he approached the Jedi.

"Commander? What are you doing here?" The voice came from behind a particularly large boulder; peering around it, Stone saw that the Jedi appeared to be injured, as he was clutching his side, but at least he was alive. "Not that I'm not pleased to see a friendly face," Kenobi amended. "But..."

Stonewall approached him and pulled out the medical supplies that he hadn't given to Kalinda. "General Skywalker managed to contact General Halcyon regarding your disappearance, sir," he said, keeping his tone as formal as he could. "She was insistent that we come to your rescue." He made to patch up the Jedi, who waved the soldier's hand away and took the bacta himself, lifting up the side of his tunic to reveal a wide, ugly gash. The wind kicked up a particularly strong flurry of dust, but they were concealed from the worst of it by the boulder.

"Where is she?"

"We were shot down," Stone replied. "She's with one of my men a about twenty-seven clicks west of here. Wounded," he added, causing the Jedi to look up in alarm. "But in one piece, more or less."

"I thought I was dreaming," the Jedi said after a moment. "When I heard her over the comlink." He looked up at Stonewall, his face covered in dust and dirt. "A bounty hunter, you said? That makes a grim kind of sense." Nodding, Stone described their encounter with the assassin droid and the general frowned. "We need to move," he said, making to stand. "I don't feel comfortable leaving her."

"With all due respect, sir," Stonewall replied, putting a hand on the general's shoulder as if to keep him in place. "You are in no condition to travel; perhaps I should bring her and Milo here."

"I'll make that decision, Commander," the Jedi said, his voice firm. "And you will follow my orders." The wind shifted and tossed dust in the air between them as it obscured the already dark horizon.

As they exchanged a look, Stonewall felt a ripple in the Force around him, dark and ominous; remembering Kali's warning he bit back a sharp retort. General Kenobi seemed to sense it too and his voice took on a more diplomatic tone. "Have you dealt with Cad Bane before, Stonewall?"

Stone frowned and shook his head. "No, sir. Is that who you think trapped you here?"

"I have a feeling," the general replied as he stood, stretching his side. "I fear that it may take both of us together to face this threat," he said. "Will you help me, Stonewall?"

Something in the clone's chest tightened then released and he nodded. "Of course, General."

* * *

"General," Milo's voice was an urgent whisper from his vantage point at the cave's entrance. "There's someone approaching."

Kalinda reached out with the Force and tried to get an idea of whom-or what-was coming, but it was like looking for a pebble at the bottom of a silty stream. Frustration welled within her, panic gripped her heart until she forced herself to relax, to take several deep breaths and try again; this time she experienced a measure of success though her realization did nothing to offer any comfort. "Milo," she said, pitching her voice low. "Come here and be still."

He was beside her in a moment, his confusion tangible. "What is it, sir?" They could hear footsteps now and she put her hand on his arm as she tried to extend her shield to conceal them. It was difficult; the Dark Side energies that permeated this place coupled with her injury and exhaustion made the task even more so, but she was single-minded in her determination. She heard Milo's small intake of breath as she felt her shield extend to ensconce them in a rippling field of energy, as she had done with Obi-Wan on Basrah, but he remained otherwise silent.

Through the hazy shield she could make out a slender humanoid step into the cave, his silhouette made distinctive by the wide-brimmed hat and long duster that fell past his knees; through the dim light Kali could see the red glow of his eyes and the blue tint to his skin. _Cad Bane, _she thought with a grimace. _That's not good. _Milo shifted slightly and she squeezed his arm, shaking her head a fraction of an inch as he glanced at her. Bane looked around the cavern, studying their footprints in the dust. Kali swallowed as his eyes fell on their position. _That's _really_ not good. _She could practically feel Milo's heart thudding within his armor but she was hesitant to divert any of her energy from her shield to calm him and she didn't dare speak. _Please be quiet, Milo, _she thought, holding her breath as Bane moved even closer to them. _Please don't give us away. _

_

* * *

_

Walking past the smoldering remains of his sentinel droid, Bane glanced around to see if he could determine which way his quarry had fled. There had been two dead clone troopers,which meant that there were two more-and a Jedi-running around in the darkness, a thought that gave him little comfort. He knew that he was more than equipped to handle his opponents, but ever since the interrogation he'd been a little more wary of the Force-users. His brain still felt wrong, scrambled and strange.

He knelt at a small discoloration in the sand, running his index finger across it. _Blood, _he realized. _Human blood. _He wasn't sure if it belonged to the Jedi or the clones, but someone was injured, which meant that the others would no doubt be protecting their own-a fact that he could most certainly use to his advantage. The rising, insistent whistle of the wind and the crunch of the yellowish dirt beneath his boots were the only sounds while he followed the faint scuffs left by the soldiers. There was another set of footprints, smaller and feminine, that ended abruptly and were replaced by the prints of a clone, though their indents were made deeper by additional weight. _She's the Jedi, _he thought with a nod. _And she's the one who's wounded. _He glanced in the direction that the prints led, squinting in the fading light until he made out the distinct dark shape that indicated a cave of some kind.

Cad Bane smiled. Injured Jedi were more to his liking than the healthy ones, which had a tendency to complicate matters. _Still, _he thought, crouching low as he began to approach the cave. _A wounded animal is more dangerous when cornered. Can't be too careful. _He reached in his belt and pulled out a small, spherical object that often came in handy with the Jedi-a sonic disruptor. Disorient their senses, which they relied upon so heavily and you could take them out with little trouble. A flash of pale armor at the mouth of the cave caught his attention and he paused, watching as the clone slipped back into the darkness._ At least one at the entrance,_ he realized. _Either the others are dead or about to jump on me. _He didn't think that was the case though he glanced around behind him, just to be certain. In his experience clones were anything but subtle.

After he was satisfied that he was not about to fall victim to an ambush he continued towards the cave, every sense alert for a hint of trouble. Something wasn't right. He felt a prickle against his skin as he stood in the mouth of the cave as he looked around. Save a few scuffled footprints there was no sign of anyone, though he detected no passages of any kind. He frowned and made to activate the micro-scanner embedded in his left gauntlet when a sharp intake of breath directly ahead of him caught his attention. _Stinking Jedi, _he thought, closing his hand around the sonic disruptor as he stepped forward. _You can't hide from me._

_

* * *

_

It was too much for Milo, especially when he saw the bounty hunter tighten his grip on something in his hand. Kalinda tried to stop him but the young clone leaped towards Bane, firing his blaster for all he was worth; however, the male Duros was able to roll out of the way and toss the small object towards them, sending a tremendous shudder rippling through the cavern that caused Kali to feel a thickness in her head and a high-pitched buzzing in her ears even as the bounty hunter raised his own blasters and began returning Milo's fire. Though the pain flared, she sprang to her feet and ignited her saber, hoping to draw his attention from the clone.

But it was not to be. Milo was not fast enough and she could only watch in mute horror as he collapsed to the rocky floor of the cavern with a shout. Still mostly deaf, she stared at the bounty hunter and he at her, his eyes flicking over her entire body in a way that indicated he was assessing her state and realizing that he was at an advantage. Finally he raised his blaster-not at her but at Milo, who was still alive, though only just- and indicated her saber with a nod of his hat. "Put that thing down before you poke someone's eye out, sweetheart."

Ignoring the epithet, she deactivated the blade and set the hilt on the ground, wincing involuntarily at the pain in her leg that flared with the kneeling motion. Her arms were raised as she looked up at him; it was still difficult hear, though the buzzing was already starting to fade. He pulled a set of energy cuffs from his belt and stood before her, closing them around her wrists and tugging her to her knees; the movement caused her to hiss in pain. He shook his head as if disappointed. "Not so tough now, are you?"

"_That which yields is not always weak,_" she replied, the Jedi axiom bringing her a small measure of comfort as she glanced at Milo, whose life-force was weak and flickering, before glaring at Bane. "You didn't have to shoot him. I would have ordered him to stand down."

His laughter was guttural and unexpected. "Sure, sure. Would that've been before or after he shot me to dust?" There was another tug on her bonds as he moved her to the front of the cave, where she could feel the wind picking up outside, sending spiraling flurries of yellow dust ahead of her. "Don't try anything funny," he added with a nod to the cuffs. "Those little bracelets are especially made for Jedi. You try to escape and you'll get a nasty surprise."

"Congratulations," she replied, injecting arrogance in her tone. "You managed to capture and contain an injured woman. I see that your reputation is well-deserved." It was a tactic that Obi-Wan often employed, to goad your opponent into carelessness.

He didn't take the bait. "I don't take risks with your kind anymore," he said, holding up his gauntlet. "Todo. How's it look?"

"No sign of the Jedi Master's ship, sir," a robotic voice answered. "The interference from the storm is getting worse and our scanners still aren't working properly. I'm trying to boost the power, but-"

"Try harder," Bane growled, glancing at Kali. "The sooner I get off this rock the better."

As he shut off his comlink, Kalinda swallowed, the realization thudding down on her. "You're looking for a Jedi Master?"

"Not that it's any of your business," he replied. "But yes. Why, seen one around?"

"You're looking at one."

He seemed unconvinced. "That would be a little too convenient, wouldn't it?"

"Does your droid have access to the holonet?" she asked, meeting his red gaze. "If I give you my word that I won't resist or fight you, that I'll go with you without any trouble, will you take me instead of the one you were sent here for?" She tried to block out images of Obi-Wan, injured-or worse-and focus on Cad Bane, who was regarding her with thinly veiled interest. Nodding to his gauntlet, she spoke again. "Have your droid look me up: Kalinda Halcyon." Her eyebrow lifted. "I'll wait."

She wasn't sure if he'd go for it but he called the droid again and ordered him to access the holonet."She's a Jedi Master, alright," the droid said after a moment. "Albeit recently promoted."

Bane smiled. "Well now. That makes my life a little easier, don't it?" He lifted his gauntlet and pushed one of the small buttons, sending a mild electric shock through her body-not enough to cause her any real pain, though there was certainly a promise of it. "Try anything funny, _Master Jedi,_ and there's a lot more where that came from."

"As long as we leave now, I'll do what you want," she replied. _I'm sorry, Ben, _she thought. _But I won't allow you to be taken. I know you'd do the same for me. _At her words he seemed to pause, still indecisive. "I give you my word," she repeated. "I won't offer any resistance; we just have to leave immediately."

"And if I decide to linger?" His tone was mocking. "Two Jedi Masters, twice the payoff, eh?"

She swallowed. "The longer you hang around, the greater the risk. You know that, don't you? Even now, there are others looking for their comrades." It was easier than she anticipated to meet his gaze, glowing faintly crimson in the light. "Why look a gift-bantha in the mouth?"

He sighed and she suddenly got the sense that he was almost as tired as she was, though it faded quickly. "You'll have to do, I suppose."

"So we have a deal, then?"

* * *

"How far away did you say she was?"

"Twenty-seven klicks," Stone replied as they set off at a brisk trot. He could feel the Jedi wincing next to him; the wind was picking up even more, tossing dirt and dust all around them in the rapidly chilling air. "But we'll need to move a lot faster if we're going to make it in time." At this Kenobi sighed and halted, sinking to his knees in the dust and closing his eyes. Stone watched him, nonplussed. "Sir...what are you doing? We have to go, General."

"Has she taught you about battle meditation, Commander?"

Frowning, Stone nodded. "A little. I've gotten the hang of meditating, but not in battle..." The Jedi motioned to him to sit beside him and he did so. "With respect, General, we need to get moving. This isn't the time for meditation."

"I need you to focus now, Stonewall," the general interrupted. "Yes, we need to hurry to help her, but if we take a moment to collect ourselves now, the two of us together will be far stronger when we reach our goal. Relax your mind," he continued. "Clear your thoughts."

Stonewall tried, but images kept coming to his mind, memories: Kali smiling up at him, her dark hair dripping wet from an impromptu swim; her body, warm and soft against his as she leaned into his chest; the very real fear in her eyes as she watched him leave only hours ago. _Come back safely, my valiant soldier. _The fear of losing her that pressed down on him was compounded with the very real possibility that he would not see her alive again; beneath that was the knowledge, the certainty of the fact that she didn't feel as he did. _All this time, I didn't want to see it, _he realized. _But there it is. _The wind sapped his energy and his strength until he felt cold, even through the temp-controlled shell of his armor. Suddenly, he felt the general's hand on his arm.

"I know how you feel about her, Stone," he said, his blue gaze meeting Stone's. "Believe me, I do. But the only way to help her now is to focus. You can do this." Nodding, Stonewall closed his eyes once more and tried to quiet his thoughts which were roiling in a perfect mimicry of the wind around them. The air was thick with dust and he was grateful for his helmet. Eventually he felt the doubt recede, just a little, replaced with a measure of strength and calm sense of purpose. "Good," the Jedi said. "You feel it, too? I think I can go on without trouble now." They rose. Kenobi glanced at him and then nodded towards the direction that the clone commander had come. "Show me the way, Stonewall."

* * *

"Sir, I recommend holding your position for the time being," Todo's voice was petulant, as often happened when he anticipated being hit with a barrage of insults. "There is a severe dust-storm picking up; I don't think I should even take off now."

After a glance at his hostage, Bane glared at his comm. "Then meet us here, you pile of scrap. Move the ship to my position. _Now._" _The minute I get back to Coruscant, _he thought. _I'm sending his sorry ass to the scrapyard. _He had activated a portable glow-lamp to provide some light, as he was still uncertain of what the Jedi might attempt and though the glow in the cave was muted, it served its purpose.

There was silence for a moment before the droid spoke again. "I'm sorry, but it's not going to happen, sir. Not without damaging the ship." If droids could cringe, Bane was certain that Todo would have been wincing. "And the speeder is-"

"I know about the speeder," Bane growled in reply, pitching his voice low. "Stand by." He gritted his teeth as he considered his options, which weren't good: leave the shelter now and risk the elements of a hostile planet or remain and give the Jedi's companions a chance to rescue her. _Those rutting Jedi, _he thought, rubbing at his forehead. _I still can't think straight after they messed with my head. _As if sensing his thoughts, the Jedi woman on the floor behind him cleared her throat, causing him to glance at her. "I suppose you have an idea?"

Her head tilted as she regarded him. "No. I just thought that you had a reputation for being the best." She shrugged. "My mistake, I guess. Are we leaving anytime soon?"

He touched his gauntlet and sent a shock of electricity through her body, smiling as she yelped in pain. "If you're not going to offer any help, keep your pretty mouth shut." She made no reply and he stepped outside, assessing the climate. It was much, much colder than he'd anticipated-intel on this planet was shit, he decided-and the wind was brutal. He called Todo again. "Let me know the minute you can get over here; there's a flat spot just beyond my position where you can pick me up."

Todo's voice was almost cheerful, a tone he took when he was proven to be correct about something. "Certainly sir."

Bane glanced back at the Jedi, who was seated more or less where he'd found her, legs extended in front of her torso as she watched his every move. "I apologize for the delay, my lady," he said, coming to stand before her and lifting his hat. "The carriage will be here soon." He took a small bit of pleasure at her frown, especially when she glanced down to the clone who he'd dragged beside her, alive, though only just. She made to remove his armor to assess the damage, but Bane raised his blaster.

"Why are you even bothering?" His voice was almost drowned out by the wind. "He's just a clone. Blaster fodder."

"He is a living being and deserves compassion," she countered. "Though I don't expect you to understand." She put a hand on his chest and closed her eyes as she performed some Jedi trick while he watched. Finally her eyes opened and she looked down at the clone, murmuring something that he couldn't hear.

He moved to stand over her. "What was that?"

"I said he'll live," she replied after a beat. They were silent for a few minutes, listening to the sound of the wind. "You don't feel like braving the elements?" she said at last.

"Not worth the risk," he replied, leaning against the wall of the cave and pulling a cigarra from the inside pocket of his coat. He lit it with a smooth motion and blew the smoke towards the entrance to the cavern, watching as it was sucked away by the wind. He heard her clear her throat again and glanced down at her. "What is it Jedi? Are you going to preach about how this is bad for my health?" His tone was mocking but she smiled, unexpectedly.

"I was actually going to ask if you have another one."

_That _caught him off guard and he regarded her with renewed curiosity. "_You _want a cigarra?"

She shrugged. "I picked up the habit a long time ago, when I was younger and marginally more foolish. Sometimes..." she paused. "Sometimes it helps."

He pulled another one out, lit it against his and handed it to her, watching as she took a long drag. "That shit'll kill you, you know," he said.

Her answering smile was wry. "I should be so lucky."


	7. Chapter 7

__

Note: This chapter briefly references What Remains_, the first Kalinda fic. You want to check it out! [uses mind trick...] _

___

* * *

_

Whatever the hell battle meditation was, it worked like a charm. Stonewall glanced again at the general, who ran beside him now with hardly a hint of fatigue or pain in his step. _We should make it, _he thought. _I hope we make it._

"We _will_ make it," Kenobi replied, his eyes scanning the ground before him as he kept a lookout for rocks or other impediments. "Because we must." They had been running for an hour, their endurance and speed enhanced by the Force. Stone mentioned Kali's warning about the Dark Side to the general, who looked thoughtful. "We have to be careful not to draw on feelings of anger or fear," he said to the clone. "For that will most certainly lead to the Dark Side. However, if we are calm, if we are careful, we can use the Force without difficulty. To overcome the Dark Side is to let go of the negative emotions that cloud your thoughts and feelings, Stonewall."

"Seems easier said than done," Stone replied, his mind returning again to Kalinda.

The Jedi nodded. "The Dark Side is the easier path, to be sure, though it ultimately leads to ruination and despair." He glanced at Stonewall. "Even for the strongest Jedi it can be a difficult line to walk."

They paused for a moment behind an outcropping of rocks to catch their breath. Stonewall tried to sense Kali, but he was unable to. "I can't feel her," he said to the general. "Does that mean...?"

"Not necessarily," the Jedi replied. "But it's not good." He took a deep breath. "The wind is getting worse. A storm is definitely coming."

"Temp's dropping, too," Stonewall added, though he was only marginally bothered by the climate through his armor. "We should keep moving." The general nodded and they set off once more. After a moment, Stonewall looked over at his companion. "General?"

He could see the Jedi's breath in the air as they ran. "Commander?"

"You should know..." Stonewall swallowed. "We...she...I...well..." Stone leaped over a small boulder that was in his way while the Jedi moved to avoid it. There was only the sound of their labored breathing and their footfalls crunching against the terrain for several moments while they ran. Finally the words came. "I told her that I love her." It sounded ridiculous, saying it out loud, though he still knew it was true. "Though she said that she loves you, Obi-Wan." He laughed, an incongruous sound given their present situation. "And now I wish I hadn't said anything at all." At this the Jedi halted and looked at him, his breath fogging in the air between them. "It was a moment of weakness, sir," Stonewall added. "For both of us." He was thankful he was wearing his helmet, as the Jedi's look was penetrating.

Finally the general sighed. "I see. Thank you for telling me." Much to his surprise, Stone could sense an undercurrent of apprehension in the general's voice as he said the next words. "You're a good man, Stonewall."

Stone said nothing. _Not good enough._

The Jedi closed his eyes. "Come on," he said after a moment. "We need to make up for lost time."

* * *

"You look familiar," Bane said as he turned up the glow of the lamp. "I know you from somewhere."

Kalinda inhaled the acrid smoke from the cigarra and blew it out her nose; on an undercover mission, when she was in her mid twenties, she'd had to take on the habit in order to play her role in a convincing manner. Like so many things it had stuck with her, though she hadn't indulged in years. "Oh?"

Bane studied her for a moment before snapping his fingers. "The _Chrysalis._ In CoCo town." He smiled at her startled expression. "That's it, isn't it? I _knew _you looked familiar."

"I haven't thought about that place in a long time," she admitted, stubbing the cigarra out and managing to put the end in her pocket. "I'm not leaving it on the ground," she explained as he watched her movements with narrowed eyes.

"You sang there," he replied after a moment. "I remember now. You were pretty good, for a Human."

Kalinda shook her head. "That was twenty years ago," she said. "A lot's changed since then. Is it even around anymore?"

"Joyle sold it, I think," he said with a shrug. "Shame. Had some good times there."

Despite herself, she smiled. "Me too." Outside the wind howled, and she attempted to reach Stonewall through the Force, though it proved futile. Fear crept into her heart but she tamped it down, trying to keep her tone light. "I don't remember seeing you there."

"I tended to keep to myself." He looked at her. "Didn't know you were a Jedi at the time."

"That was kind of the idea." She couldn't read his expression or gauge his response, which was frustrating, though from what she had heard it was part of his nature. The wind shrieked outside the cavern opening, sending a particularly strong gust inside the confined area; the soothing properties of the bacta were starting to wear off and her leg was beginning to throb again, exacerbated by the chill of the wind. "I was hiding," she admitted. "From...well, a lot of things." The death of her old Master, Jonas, had hit her hard when she was a teenager; performing at the _Chrysalis _had been one of her few releases at the time. _I wonder if Obi-Wan remembers that, _she thought absently. _He was right there with me._

"Odd place to hide," he remarked, pulling out another cigarra and offering it to her. She shook her head, so he lit it and took a deep drag. "In the spotlight."

"Actually it was perfect," she said, placing her hand over her wound and concentrating. Though it was made weaker by the cuffs and the presence of the Dark Side on the planet, her access to the Force had not fled entirely, so she focused on relieving some of the pain until she was aware of his gaze upon her.

"You're not like most other Jedi." The last word was spoken with only a hint of mockery.

"How many Jedi do you know?"

"Too many." His eyes closed briefly and she caught a flicker of something inherently..._wrong _within his mind. He looked at her, smoke trailing from his nostrils, glowing in the faint light. "Though, I haven't met one yet who I couldn't handle."

At this she laughed. "I wish I could say the same." They were silent for a few minutes before she spoke again. "I heard about...about the interrogation." He stiffened, but made no comment, so she continued. "You should know," she said. "That I think you're a perfectly deplorable excuse for a life-form to kidnap innocent children. However," she added. "It was wrong; what they did to you. The mind trick."

He looked nonplussed for a moment before his chuckle resonated off of the walls as he stepped over to her, stopping to stand before her. "Too bad you weren't there, then. Might have given me something better to look at other than Windu's shiny mug." There was an odd moment where they shared a look, though it passed quickly and he lifted his comlink again. "Todo? How's it look out there?"

Static.

Bane narrowed his eyes. "Todo? I'm getting tired of sitting here..."

At last there was a crackle, then a garbled response as the droid's voice sounded again. "Not to worry, master. The storm should be letting up soon. I'll let you know when-"

"Fine," Bane snapped, shutting off the comm. He looked back at Kalinda, who was working to appear passive and harmless. "Looks like we're stuck here a while longer," he said. "Know any good songs?"

* * *

They were close now. Stonewall pointed to the outcropping where the cave was located and tried to contact Milo, though he was met with silence. "That's not good," he remarked while he and Obi-Wan took shelter on the leeward side of a particularly large rock formation. He looked at the Jedi, who had started to favor his side again. "General?"

"I still can't reach her through the Force," Obi-Wan muttered, his voice terse. "I can sense her, barely, but..._blast_ her and her ridiculous notions..." He looked back up at Stonewall. "There's no way a ship could take off in this weather, so we're going to assume that they are both still up there; the storm should give us the advantage of surprise. Cad Bane is as ruthless and cunning as they come, Commander, and he very likely orchestrated this entire thing to snare me-or any Jedi, I suppose-unwitting enough to fall for the trap." He grimaced at some memory before glancing back up to the cave. "I fear he's seeking retribution for his interrogation."

"I heard about that," Stone replied. "Kalinda wasn't terribly pleased, but I think you did what you had to do to save those children."

The general sighed. "I'm well aware of her opinion on the matter, but sometimes there is no other way to resolve an issue." He looked at Stone again. "How strong is your ability to use the Force, Stonewall?"

The clone hesitated. "She gave me a lightsaber," he said at last. "But I haven't had much time to practice with it." Obi-Wan looked startled but nodded when Stone showed him the blade.

"Her old one?" Despite the shrieking wind, his injury and their very desolate situation, the Jedi smiled. "I remember when she made it." He looked at Stonewall. "She entrusted you with a great deal, Commander."

Swallowing, Stonewall shook his head. "I think her trust is misplaced. I'm not as strong as I should be." The wind tore his words from him, but Kenobi seemed to hear them nonetheless, leaning forward and putting his hand on the clone's armored shoulder.

"It doesn't matter what she thinks, Stonewall, or what I think. You have to trust _yourself. _That is the core of being a Jedi and of using the Force. Trust yourself and your steps will never falter." He smiled as Stone nodded slowly. "Now. Let's give this bounty hunter something to worry about besides the weather."

* * *

Kalinda looked back at Milo, his features at once familiar and foreign. _Stonewall's face. _Reaching out with the Force she sent another tendril of energy to him, trying to get an idea of his current condition; his pulse was sluggish and his breathing shallow, unchanged since her earlier assessment. _I'm sorry, Milo, _she thought._ You deserve better than this._

Filled with a sudden desire to move, she pulled herself up with a nearby rock formation and shakily got to her feet, shooting Bane an annoyed look as he lifted his gauntlet. "Will you calm down? I just want to stand for a moment." In response he activated the cuffs and she yelped in pain though she was able to remain standing, shooting him an annoyed glance.

"I warned you about the tricks, Jedi." His hand rested on his blaster as he regarded her.

"And I gave you my word," she replied, easing herself so that she was leaning against the rock, taking off much of the weight from her injured leg.

His answering laugh was bitter. "What good is the word of a Jedi? People say _I'm_ immoral? Your compatriots pulled a pretty number on my brain, you know." He tapped his head. "I can't sleep without hearing their voices in my head."

As if on cue, she heard Obi-Wan's voice in her mind, as distinct as if he was standing beside her. _Kali? Are you alright? _She did not smile, only winced and rubbed at her leg, hoping to prevent Bane from catching on.

_More or less,_ she replied. _Milo's unconscious and Bane has me in custody. He was hired to capture a Jedi Master. Since you're injured, I think I can convince him to take me and leave you._

Obi-Wan's annoyance was evident even through the Force._ I'm _not _going to let that happen._

_Don't be a hero, _she thought. _You and Stone can get away now. I'll figure something out._

_The matter is not up for debate, Kalinda. _His thoughts were firm. _We're nearly there. Get ready._

Kali resisted the urge to roll her eyes_. Just be careful._ _He's not in the best of moods. _

She could see his determined expression in her mind's eye. _Then it seems we have something in common._

_

* * *

_

"You're sure about this, General?"

The Jedi nodded, his lightsaber in his hand. "Right now our only advantage is you, Commander. He has no clue that you can use the Force, so he'll have no way of knowing just what you are capable of."

Stonewall sighed and lifted his blaster with his left hand, his right hand brushing the hilt of the saber beneath his kama. "So, the whole martyrdom thing," he said on a whim. "Is that something they teach you at the Jedi Temple? Because you and Kalinda both seem to have a liking for the act of self-sacrifice."

Rising to head to the cavern, Kenobi chuckled. "Interesting words coming from a clone. Just playing up our strengths, Commander. I have no intention of letting anyone else die today." With that, the Jedi slipped between the rocks and began to make his way up the outcropping, seemingly heedless of the wind that assaulted him. For his part, Stone began ascending towards the cavern as well, though he took a longer way around that would bring him to the top of the opening, where he'd been able to determine there was a small ledge. Provided he could gain footing, provided he went undetected, he would be able to give the General backup when he needed it.

As he climbed he extended his awareness around him, feeling the Force ripple in the air, in his very flesh and blood. It was an odd sensation: though the wind tugged and dragged on his hands and feet, the Force seemed to settle across his shoulders like a mantle, filling his mind with calm and clarity; he'd heard Kali talk about the Force offering protection and he'd always assumed she was referring to her shield. _I think I get it now,_ he thought as he crouched low, his eyes on the Jedi who held still about sixteen meters from his own position. Kali's voice echoed in his mind, drowning out the howl of the wind. _You have everything you already need right here_,_ if you dare to look for it_.

He reached his position and watched Kenobi begin to creep towards the cavern's entrance. Though he couldn't feel Kalinda through the Force, for the first time he was not concerned. _We will succeed because we must. _

Stonewall lifted the lightsaber from his belt and held it loosely in his right hand, his finger over the activator switch while he grasped his blaster in his left.

"I'm here, Kali," he whispered. "I'm ready."

* * *

Kalinda sensed Obi-Wan's presence just beyond the cavern, the bright pulse of life she had been searching for. It took every bit of her ability to not give a sigh of relief as she leaned back against the side of the cave. Bane was trying to contacting his ship again though he was only picking up static. She cleared her throat, causing him to look up in annoyance.

"What?"

"I changed my mind," she said. "Do you have another cigarra?" She nodded to her right leg and winced. "The bacta's worn off and I need a distraction."

The bounty hunter sighed and reached into his pocket to pull out another of the small, rolled objects. "You're awfully needy for a Jedi," he said, just as Kali heard Ben's voice in her mind.

_Now._

She crouched over Milo as Obi-Wan leaped into the room, his lightsaber flashing brilliant blue against the darkness. Bane reacted immediately with a volley of blaster fire, which Obi-Wan deflected, coming to stand his ground in front of Kali. In the next instant he was able to slice off her cuffs, allowing her to call her own saber to her hand, though she wasn't certain how much good she'd do in her condition. Together they faced Cad Bane, who looked nothing so much as irritated.

"That's what I get for trusting the word of a Jedi," he said to her, narrowing his eyes as she raised her blade.

"No, that's what you get for listening to a droid," she replied. "If it were me, I never would have delayed."

"There's no need to add insult to injury, Kalinda," Obi-Wan said, his voice smug. "Our friend here is already well aware of his failure." He glared at the bounty hunter. "You will surrender now, Bane."

A flick of the bounty hunter's wrist released another of the sonic disruptors, which provided an opportunity for him to slip past them and towards the mouth of the cave, lifting his comlink to his mouth. "Get the kriffing ship here _now,_ Todo," he shouted, firing his blasters for all he was worth at the two Jedi.

"But Master Bane-"

"I said _now!" _

Kalinda did her best but she was able to do little more than deflect the fire and that was a challenge in her current state, which caused Obi-Wan to have to work twice as hard to protect her and himself. _And he's injured, too, _she realized with a slice of fear. _He can't keep this up. _As though sensing her desperation, Bane lobbed a blinding round of blaster fire at Obi-Wan before he lunged at her, knocking her on her back as Obi-Wan struggled to deflect the fire. In the next moment Kalinda was in Bane's grasp, a durasteel ice-pick at the hollow of her throat.

"Drop you laser sword, Jedi," he spat at Obi-Wan, who did so immediately before lifting his hands. "You too, sweetheart," he muttered in Kali's ear, pressing the cold, metallic object to her skin. He glared at Obi-Wan, whose face was inscrutable. "I'm leaving here with a Jedi Master and there's nothing you can do about it."

That was the moment when Obi-Wan smiled. "I don't think so, Bane."

Kalinda felt a ripple in the Force just before Stone dropped into the cavern, lobbing his own blaster fire at the bounty hunter's head. In response, Bane let out a feral growl and tossed Kali towards Stone while he made a dash for the entrance, but she was able to catch herself before she fell. Bane fired at the clone, knocking the Deece from his hand with a laugh.

"Not so tough without your gun, are you?"

There was a half-second of silence before Kalinda heard the familiar sound of a lightsaber being drawn. "You might be surprised," Stone's voice was calm even as he lunged at Bane, whose eyes widened in shock. However, the bounty-hunter recovered quickly and began firing again.

Lifting his comm to his face, he shouted once more at his droid. "_Now_ would be a good time for that ship, Todo."

Kali couldn't hear the droid's response as she reached for her saber and moved to join Obi-Wan and Stonewall, who were standing side by side before her, deflecting every shot from Bane's pistols. Her leg screamed in protest but she found that she was unable to let them stand without her, so she didn't. The Duros held his own until they all heard the distinct whine of a ship's engines beyond the opening to the cavern, at which time he was able to toss the rest of his sonic disruptors towards them and make a hasty, if not graceful, escape using the thrusters on his boots.

Their hearing muted for a moment, the trio stood together, breathing heavily and watching as the small ship sped away through the sky, which was starting to lighten at last. Finally Obi-Wan deactivated his saber and moved over to Kali. "How bad is your leg?" His mouth formed the words but no sound came out and it took her a moment to understand. She nodded.

"I'll live. You?"

He had been favoring his side though now he had took her hands in his own. "The same." His ungloved hands were filthy and calloused, though very warm despite the chill in the air. The Force thrummed between them as they looked at one another and the buzzing in their ears was beginning to fade. "I was worried," he said at last, his voice hushed.

Her own voice wasn't much better. "Me too." She looked into his eyes and felt herself truly relaxing for the first time in a long while. "Ben..." His throat cleared and his eyes shifted behind her, where Stone was standing. Her gaze moved to the soldier, who had sheathed his saber at the same time as Obi-Wan and was in the process of removing his helmet. "Stone? Are you okay?"

He rubbed at his ears with his gauntleted hands, though she could feel that the effects of the sonic disruptor were wearing off. "I'm fine." A tremor in his voice gave him away, but he took a deep breath and nodded to her comlink, which was blinking. "Hopefully that's General Skywalker with some good news."

Indeed it was. Anakin sounded about as concerned as she'd ever heard him. "Master Halcyon! We've been trying to contact you for an hour..."

"Obi-Wan's safe," she said, smiling at him. "And Stone, too. Milo's injured badly and we lost Duster and Jory. Cad Bane got away."

The frown in Anakin's voice was palpable. "We caught a flicker of a ship on our sensors, but weren't in time to stop him." There was a sigh, then a muffled conversation between him and another-presumably his Padawan. "Ahsoka says that there's still some pretty bad storms in the upper atmosphere of Ambria, so it might be later this evening before we can pick you guys up. Will you be okay for the day?"

Leaning over her wrist, Obi-Wan spoke. "We'll be fine, Anakin. See you then." He relayed their coordinates before ending the transmission. There was absolute silence in the cavern for a moment before Kalinda cleared her throat.

"Look." She pointed beyond the mouth of the cave, to the encroaching light that had tinted the sky a brilliant lavender, the streaked and scattered clouds gilded by the rising sun. "It's actually beautiful." She glanced at both of the men, who were watching her. "Now, let's get the hell out of this cave, please."


	8. Chapter 8

After treating his wounds they carried Milo's unconscious form to the transport, settling him in what was hopefully a comfortable manner in the rear of the craft, which had held up better than Stonewall had realized. Duster and Jory they placed just beyond the ship, covering them with a tarp weighed down with bulky stones. Presently, they were seated the floor in the interior of the transport, wiping the worst of the dust and sand from their faces and hands and re-bandaging their wounds. The light from the sunrise had been muted by a high-level storm, but at least the cloud cover made the heat bearable, along with a marginally cool breeze that lifted the hem of Kali's tunic as Stonewall watched her rub one of the cleaning wipes along her cheeks and forehead.

"I salvaged what I could from my ship right after the crash," Kenobi was saying as he cleaned his hands. "Though I wish that my astromech droid had survived. Between us, we should have enough rations to last until Anakin arrives."

Kali frowned at the cloth in her hand, which was saturated in yellowish-brown dirt. "I think I need about five more of these for my face alone." She glanced up as Stonewall handed her the rest of his wipes.

"I'm clean," he said with a shrug. "More or less."

She grinned. "That's right. _You_ have a helmet. Why do I always feel so ill-prepared around you, Stone?" He found that he suddenly couldn't meet her gaze and moved his eyes to examine his armor as she spoke again. "Stonewall-"

He couldn't hear her say it again. It was too much. "I meant it when I said it, Kali," he replied, forcing himself to meet her gaze. "On the _Valiant. _I love you, I really do," he added. "And I know how you feel," his eyes flicked to Obi-Wan, who was seated beside her. "So I've been thinking." He took a deep breath and reached for her hand, ignoring Obi-Wan's look of incredulity. "I don't know if it will work, or if you'll even do it, but I think it's worth a shot."

Her pulse was racing; her skin was soft, warm and familiar beneath his. "What are you talking about, Stone?"

Unflinching at last, he met her gaze. "Kali. If you ever cared for me, even a little bit, please, just hear me out..."

* * *

She gaped at him. "No."

"Kali-"

"No." Suddenly she was on her feet, her heart pounding in her chest. "No, Stone...I...I won't participate in that." She looked at Obi-Wan, still seated and watching her. "Help me talk sense into him, Ben. We can't do that. Could we? Is it even possible?"

Obi-Wan stroked his beard and looked at Stonewall, who had risen to follow her. "Are you certain of your decision, Commander?"

"More than I've been of anything in a long time, sir."

He looked back at Kali, who was staring at him as if he'd grown a second head. "I think we should try it."

"Of course you would say that."

"Don't make this about me, Kali." Obi-Wan's voice was sharp. "I think I've been more than patient, more than agreeable, but what he's asking is, from my perspective, more than fair. To _everyone_." He met her gaze. "You must see that. You must understand."

She stood frozen in place, trying to focus on the inhalation and exhalation of breath in her lungs as she calmed herself. Finally she looked at Stonewall, who was beside her. "You really want this? You really want to forget...everything?"

He nodded. "I can't do it anymore, Kali," he said. "What I want from you...it's not going to happen. Even if we weren't in a war, even if you weren't a Jedi and I weren't...whatever it is that I am...you love another. I can accept that, but_ I_ can't change how I feel about you. But you can, I think." His fists were tight at his sides. "You said once that we could never go back to how it was, remember? Perhaps now we can, after all. It's for the best. It is." He looked at Obi-Wan. "What must we do?"

"I'm really not sure," Obi-Wan admitted. "This is new to me. You are aware that there is an inherent risk involved? You might lose more than a few memories. You might lose some of your training, or even your connection to the Force."

"I thought of that," he replied with a nod. "But it's a risk I'm willing to take." Both men looked at Kalinda, waiting for her word. After a moment Stone put his hand on her cheek, bringing her eyes to his as he touched their foreheads together. "Please do this for me," he said. "Please."

At last her eyes closed as she nodded, once.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "We should all try and get some rest," he said as Stonewall moved away from her. He settled back against the side of the transport while Stonewall, after a moment's hesitation, took up a position on the outside, leaning against the bulkhead and crossing his arms across his chest.

For her part, Kalinda found that after spending so much time in the cramped quarters of the cave, she wanted air and open sky so she slipped out between the mass of boulders to put some distance between herself and the rest of her life, stopping only when she could not see the ship anymore but could still feel Obi-Wan's and Stone's presences. The sky was wide and nearly as golden as the planet's surface; not a single cloud marred the dome above her head. Sunlight filtered through the atmosphere of Ambria and laid itself upon her back and shoulders, the air was thick and warm as she settled herself against a particularly smooth boulder.

She was asleep within moments.

It felt like only a few seconds after her eyes closed that Obi-Wan was beside her, his hand on her knee as he said her name. "Kali. Wake up, it's time."

There was nothing she could think of to say, so she simply stood up, taking his proffered hand and following him back to the transport in silence, as neither one of them attempted conversation for several moments. Finally she looked at him. "Do you think it will work?"

"I'm not sure," he replied. "I've never tried to do this before, though there are stories of Jedi who managed to perform similar acts. It's akin to a mind trick, after all."

She nodded. "But if it doesn't..."

He exhaled and glanced at her. "Then it doesn't work...Kalinda?"

"What?" She frowned at the tone of his voice as he said her name. "What is it?"

"I..." he paused. "You care for him, don't you?"

"Obi-Wan-"

"You need to decide," he said at last, his voice turning businesslike, professional. "It has to end here, one way or the other."

"I know." Her voice was quiet. "I just regret...well, a lot of things." She stopped suddenly and took his hand. "I never meant for this to get so...complicated, Obi-Wan."

"Life has a way of doing that whether we would wish it or not," he replied, his voice wry. He studied her. "You are certain that you can do this?"

In response, she put her arms around his neck and inhaled his familiar scent, felt the warm press of his body to hers as his arms circled her back. "I love you, Ben," she whispered. "I know I can do anything with you by my side."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," he said before he kissed her.

* * *

Stonewall had cleared the interior of the ship and set up three seats for them in a loose triangle; he was waiting at the entrance with his hands clasped behind his back, standing at attention. _His default setting. _She smiled to herself at the thought, squeezing her fists at her sides as she watched him.

They met at the ship's entrance and again, both men looked to her. "I suppose we should meditate for a while," she said after a moment. "You need to focus on the emotions that you want...gone, and I'll do the same." She looked at Obi-Wan. _I'll need your help. _He nodded and moved to stand beside her. Swallowing, she turned back to Stonewall. "After that, Obi-Wan and I will focus on your emotions and try to...erase the troubling ones: specifically any romantic feelings you have for me. And the memories, too?"

"I think they're one and the same," Stonewall answered, his voice even. "Can I do anything else to help?"

"Just relax," Kali replied. "Like I've always told you."

Stone nodded and the Jedi took a seat, though he hesitated. "Kali," he said. "Is there any way I could kiss you...one last time?"

She felt Obi-Wan tense and cast her mind out to him, a question in her thoughts.

_It's your decision, _was his reply.

She nodded. He approached her and knelt beside her so she could lean up and kiss his cheek with a feather touch; she was unprepared for the way he gripped her waist and met her mouth with his, cupping the side of her face in his other hand. When they parted, she knew that she would never forget the way that he was looking at her, but for once, the thought didn't cause her anything sharper than remorse. _I have everything I need, _she thought, glancing at Obi-Wan. _I was a fool to think otherwise._

Stone still held her hands in his. "Thank you, for everything," he whispered. "I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to handle it."

"My valiant soldier," she replied with a faint smile. "I won't forget you, you know."

They settled beside Obi-Wan in the center of the transport and she felt herself sinking into meditation, though it was difficult to focus; her breathing was uneven, her thoughts were scattered, until she felt Obi-Wan's hand grip hers, offering her his strength.

_I'm here, _he seemed to say. _I'm with you, Kali. _

She nodded and took a deep breath, following it with another and another, letting the Force surround them until she reached out with her mind to brush against Stonewall's. Immediately, she was met with a flood of memories: the glow of their sabers on Coraux after their last victory; the touch of her own hand on his after Bespin; their heated, passionate joining during Mundali; a stuck zipper on Mandalore; an intense, cloying cold as he carried her in his arms away from Asajj Ventress' ship after Basrah. It all felt like eons ago, and she found herself getting lost in the tangle of memories.

_I can't do this, _she thought in sudden despair. _It's too much. It's all too much. _However, there was Obi-Wan's hand around hers, warm and solid and more real than anything she'd ever known; with that knowledge was the realization that she could do as Stonewall had wanted. _Because_ _I must._ Focusing on Stone's mind, she took another deep breath and leaned forward, touching her fingertips to the clone's forehead, using the Force to draw the memories from his mind like water from a well. For a moment she was overwhelmed as she felt herself slipping down and drowning in the insistent press of memories and emotions, but she was finally able to let go, easing them back into the endless ocean of the Force. The moment was sharp, clear. Obi-Wan's bright presence beside her lent her strength as Stonewall knelt before her, his thoughts filled with nothing so much as love. She felt the Force pulse all around them, brimming and bright.

And then it was over.


	9. Chapter 9

Cad Bane was not in this business to seek vengeance, though sometimes - like now - he wondered if that were true. After ordering Todo to put as much distance as possible between them and Ambria, he settled into the chair at the helm and took stock of his present situation. _No Jedi Master means no payout, _was his first thought. _But, as I recall, I don't have a specific time frame, so that is possible to rectify. Unless, of course, the Jedi decide to put a price on _my _head. _That particular thought was unsettling, but not unexpected. He watched as the stars slid past them, frowning.

_It was stupid of me, _he realized. _Stupid to think that I took this job for the credits. It was revenge all along. I'm getting sloppy. _His brain still felt scrambled and he put a hand to his head, trying to concentrate, though all that he could hear was the Jedi's wry tone as she asked him for another cigarra. '_I need a distraction.' _Then the whole thing had gone to shit. He still didn't really understand how the clone had beaten him. _If they're giving lightsabers to the cannon fodder, there's no hope for any of us._

The realization of her words finally dawned on him, though it was a moment before he reacted, giving a light chuckle that caused the little droid to look at him in surprise.

"Sir? Are you alright?"

_I need to step back and regroup, _he thought with a curt nod. _I can still pull this off, I just need a little time. Next time, it will go better. Next time, I won't make the same mistakes. _He looked at Todo. "Where's my datapad? I need to check that grocery list from our last client." Moments later he was scanning the list of Jedi Masters, his mind running through potential targets as objectively as he was able and trying to ignore the part of his mind that whispered _revenge._

_

* * *

_

Though he appeared to be unharmed, Stonewall had slipped into unconsciousness after the Jedi had finished; they had arranged him beside Milo so that he would be comfortable while they rested as well, seated on the edge of a nearby boulder and waiting for Anakin to arrive. They sat beside one another, not touching, watching the beginnings of the Ambrian sunset. After what could have been hours or minutes, Kali looked at Obi-Wan.

"Tell me I did the right thing."

He did not answer for several long minutes, his eyes fixed on some distant point on the horizon. Finally he nodded, slowly. "It was what he wanted."

A shiver passed through her. "I feel like...like I've lost something. A friend," she added at his look. "A dear friend. I hope it didn't cause him any real damage." She put her hand on Obi-Wan's knee. "Did I ever thank you?"

He was silent for a moment before he spoke; his tone neutral. "Like I said, I don't blame him for feeling the way he did; not after what has happened between the two of you. As for your feelings for him, well..." he paused. "You said once that love and the Force are the same thing, and I never really understood. But I think I do now. Especially after catching a glimpse of his thoughts, of the memories that you shared."

Her face flamed. "I didn't think about that part."

Silence.

She cleared her throat and continued. "I really don't deserve you, Ben. I'm not sure I could have been as...understanding as you have been. I'm sorry for everything." Still he said nothing, so she sighed and lifted her hand. _So I've lost you, too._

"No, Kali," he replied after a moment, taking her right hand in his. "You can't dissuade me so easily." He gave her a tired smile. "It was unexpected, but not as painful as it might have been. You see, I really did think it was just lust, on his part and yours too, clouding his mind and making him think that he loved you. But he did." Obi-Wan's laughter was quiet. "He really did love you. I feel like a fool for not realizing it...I suppose it didn't occur to me that the clones were capable of it. Though, I admit," he added. "I was not without my doubts as to your final choice."

"You thought I'd choose him, over you?"

A breeze picked up and tilted his auburn hair towards her as his eyes lowered. "For a moment, I did wonder. Perhaps I'm not as strong as I would like to think." They sat in silence for a moment before she shook her head, her eyes blinking rapidly.

"It was always you, Ben," she whispered, putting her other hand over his. "Always. But I'm sorry I made you doubt it."

"Well, that is good to hear," he said, his voice light, though she could see the genuine relief in his eyes. As if on impulse, he leaned forward and kissed her, his wide grin causing her heart to skip a beat when they parted.

"So..." she paused, her brow furrowed. "You aren't upset with me? You aren't angry?"

"Lest you forget, my love, I am a Jedi. Compassion is our ultimate goal, after all." His face became more serious and he took her other hand in his. "How many times have I almost lost you? I can't keep track anymore."

"Don't be so dramatic, Ben."

"It's the truth," he replied. "Kalinda, we have a...history of loss, of regret. You know, I meant what I said on Basrah: I don't want to waste any more time with you. Especially now." He didn't say, _with the war on, _because they both already knew. His grip on hers tightened. "Kali, I'm almost forty years old and the only place in the entire galaxy that I truly call home is wherever you are." There were tears on her cheeks in earnest now, which he swiped away as he smiled at her. "My greatest frustration; my greatest joy."

She shook her head. "Remind me never to underestimate you, Ben."

His kiss was immediate, filled with happiness and a renewed sense of hope. "My love, I'll make sure of it."

* * *

Stonewall was awake before he opened his eyes, assessing the sounds and smells around him to ensure that he was not in any danger; sometimes by holding still you could trick an enemy into thinking that you were dead, giving yourself precious seconds to regroup and get your bearings. He was lying on something hard and solid, his head pillowed beneath something soft and vaguely familiar; he could smell dust and heat and the metallic thickness of a ship-a Republic ship. _Not in a hostile situation then, _he thought. _No clanker would take the time to make a meat-can comfortable._

Starting with his feet and ankles, he began to run through a mental checklist of his physical condition, ensuring that he was unharmed before he made the decision to rise. As far as he could tell he was uninjured, though his muscles were tight as if he'd been through a lot of physical exertion recently. _Legs are a little sore, back too; head's throbbing pretty bad._

Suddenly the wind shifted and he heard voices about ten meters away, a man's and a woman's, both of which were familiar in the same way as the soft thing beneath his head. His eyelids cracked open and he turned to look below him at the pile of brown fabric. _A blanket? No, a robe. _He sat up slowly, letting the blood in his veins distribute itself through his body at an even pace so he wouldn't grow lightheaded. The voices were still there, though he couldn't see the speakers and for the first time since he had awoken, he wondered what had happened. He cast his mind back, trying to recall, but was met with a blank wall. _That's not good, _he thought. _Might have a concussion. _

One of his brothers lay beside him; a quick assessment confirmed that the younger clone was alive, though his condition was pretty bad. However, the fact that his wounds were dressed and he too, had a makeshift pillow beneath his head reassured Stonewall that they were not in enemy territory.

Stonewall wearing his armor and his helmet was on the ground next to him, which he replaced if only to give himself a measure of familiarity as he was fairly certain he was not in any danger at the moment. His legs were a little shaky as he stepped out of the transport and made his way to the source of the voices.

They were seated on a nearby boulder, their backs to him, each of them dressed in a style of clothing-a pale, rough spun tunic- that he recognized in an instant. _Jedi, _he thought with a sigh of relief. _Generals. Maybe they'll tell me what happened. _At the very least he needed to check in and get his next assignment. He stepped forward, noting how the female Jedi seemed to stiffen while the other-the man- turned to him.

His face was familiar, though it took Stonewall a second to recall his name. "General Kenobi," he said, standing at attention. "CC-3077 requesting permission to speak, sir."

The general nodded. "Go ahead, Commander."

The title gave him pause, as he couldn't quite recall the circumstances of his promotion, but he pushed forward regardless. "I...I'm afraid I don't remember your last orders, sir. In fact, there's a good bit I don't remember; I think I may have a concussion. Have you seen the medic around?"

"We were trapped on Ambria, by the bounty hunter, Cad Bane," the general said after a moment. "You and Milo there are the only members of your squad who survived the encounter."

Stonewall assimilated the information without emotion, nodding. "What happened to the bounty hunter?"

The general sighed and shook his head. "Escaped. We're waiting on General Skywalker, who should be here any moment." He glanced at his companion, who had remained silent thus far. "General Halcyon?"

She turned and looked at Stonewall and he noted with some surprise that her eyes were red-rimmed and her cheeks were wet. Her dark hair was unbound and lifted by the wind as she studied him, though for what reason he couldn't have said. Finally, she slipped off of the boulder and approached him; he could see the bandage around her right leg.

"General Halcyon, you're wounded," he said. "You should rest." _What? Why in the blazes would I say that to her?_

Ignoring his words, she came to stand before him, her dark eyes fixed on his. "How do you feel, Stone?"

_Stone? _It took him a moment before he remembered his nickname. "Fine, General. Well...sore," he amended. "But able to carry out my duties." His back straightened under her gaze.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

He frowned as he cast his mind back. "I...I'm not certain. There are a few...blank spots, for lack of a better word." He put a hand to his helmet. "Perhaps it's worse than I thought."

Nodding, she glanced at their feet before looking up at him again. "Well, we should be off of this place soon, Stone. We'll get you checked out." She looked back at General Kenobi and Stonewall got the impression that they were doing that strange Jedi trait of speaking without words. He took a moment to study her. There was something oddly familiar about her, something that went beyond what he should have known; elusive, it slipped from his grasp and left him bewildered.

Suddenly, his hand brushed against something beneath his kama. Confused, he glanced at each of the Jedi, both of whom had their sabers clipped to their belts. Stonewall held out the lightsaber to her. "General, this was in my kit. I'm not certain where it came from, but do you think you could please give it back to the Jedi it belongs to? That kind of weapon doesn't belong with a clone."

She didn't move for moment, which confused him. Finally she nodded and took the hilt from his hand. "Thank you, Stone. I'll see that it gets returned." Just then, they heard General Kenobi's comm unit beep, the image of General Skywalker appearing a moment later.

"_You guys ready to go? We're nearly there."_


	10. Chapter 10

_Last chapter! Thank you so much for the kind words everyone! _

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_Epilogue:_

It lasted maybe a month, before the memories began to return.

At first they were fragments brought to the surface of his mind by something small and insignificant: one day he heard what sounded like the timpani of a small drum, and the feel of taut skin over wood came unbidden to his fingers; another time it was the way that the yellow light of Kali's saber reflected in her eyes as she glanced at him before they made to rush into a Seppie stronghold; then there was the moment when he caught the scent of some fragrant blossom that reminded him of a distant world on the Outer Rim whose name he couldn't quite recall.

Unnerving, to say the least. At first Stonewall wondered if he had gone insane, though gradually he remembered.

At first he wished he didn't.

_But some things are not as we would have them,_ he realized, once all of the memories had returned. So he made another decision: brick by brick he built a wall around the parts of his mind that would betray him to her, or to any Jedi. _If I can't forget, _he thought, _I can at least pretend. Perhaps if I will it enough, it will be true. _He had heard of irony before, but only now did he really understand it. His name, his identity was in fact the only way he could go on; everything he needed he already had. It brought a measure of comfort.

* * *

Months later they were on another world, another planet that was slipping into the waiting grasp of the Separatists. It had been a grueling battle, though the Republic had emerged victorious it was at a great cost to his and Commander Cody's men; in the end they suffered almost more casualties than they had soldiers left, though he knew it was just a part of the machine of war. He was used to watching his brothers die, after all. Still, he knew that she would be taking it hard.

Someone had lit a bonfire and several of the men were gathered around it, the flames flickering yellow and orange across the clones' bone-white armor. No one spoke much; their transports were scheduled to come in a few hours, so everyone was taking a well-earned break for the time being. Stonewall was at the makeshift mess station preparing a pot of tea: redolent vanilla mixed with spices that he couldn't name; once it was ready he glanced around the area until he spotted the generals, seated beside one another at the far edges of the glowing circle of light cast by the fire.

General Kenobi was sitting more or less upright as he scrolled absently through a datapad with one hand. Kali was next to him, her head resting on his armor-clad shoulder, her eyes half closed as if she were drifting between sleep and wakefulness; beneath the fraying robes they wore Stonewall could see that their hands were loosely entwined. At his approach both Jedi looked up and he noted how tired they each looked, how there was mud, dirt, and traces of blood covering their faces and clothing, but there was a certain peacefulness to them, a warmth that had nothing to do with the nearby fire.

Happiness.

He held up the pot and two cups that he'd carefully washed. "Thought you might want something warm, Generals," he said, keeping his voice cordial. "It was a long day."

"Thank you, Stone," she replied with a smile as she reached for the items. "It smells delicious...I thought we were out of this kind?" She poured one cup and passed it to General Kenobi before preparing the other for herself, sipping it with hesitation as it was still piping hot.

The commander shrugged. "I found some tucked away."

She closed her eyes and inhaled the scent; he watched as she looked at her companion, her smile wide. "It's my favorite kind, too."

"Is it?" Kenobi glanced up at him. "Much appreciated, Commander." The Jedi's gaze was on him for perhaps a moment longer than it should have been, but the clone simply nodded once, his hand lifting to his helmet in an easy salute.

"Certainly, Generals."

It was not so easy to turn and walk away from them, especially when he wanted nothing more than to stay beside her, but he managed. It was what he had been bred for, after all and though he knew that his body might well be shot to pieces with the next mission, that his spirit was most definitely torn and frayed, his memories-all of them-were safe within the recesses of his mind, in a place that he found he could live with, after all.

_The End_

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Again, thank you for taking the time to read this. If you enjoyed my OC's, keep an eye out for another fic coming soon: an AU that takes place during and after _Old Wounds. _SerendipityAEY: you kick major butt! Thanks for all of your help and encouragement!_


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